Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in Delhi on Sunday night, government sources said, as India reviews the situation in West Asia following the United States and Israel’s attack on Iran and the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The CCS, the country’s top body on security and strategic issues, has been convened amid sharp military escalation in the region, widespread airspace closures and growing concerns over the safety of Indian nationals.
“The prime minister will chair a meeting of the CCS on returning to Delhi tonight from his two-day tour of the states. He is expected to land here at around 9.30 pm,” a source said.
“The prime minister will chair a meeting of the CCS on returning to Delhi tonight from his two-day tour of the states. He is expected to land here at around 9.30 pm,” a source said. Modi was on a two-day tour of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
The prime minister heads the CCS. Its members include defence minister Rajnath Singh, home minister Amit Shah, external affairs minister S, Jaishankar and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Senior officials are also usually present.
Sources said the meeting is likely to focus on the safety of Indians living in West Asia and those stranded due to flight disruptions, and on India’s response if the situation worsens, reported PTI. Large parts of West Asia’s airspace are currently shut.
With flight services disrupted, hundreds of Indians are stranded at major transit hubs, including Dubai. Many have appealed on social media for government help.
Around 10,000 Indian citizens live, study or work in Iran, while more than 40,000 Indians live in Israel. Nearly nine million Indians live across the Gulf and West Asia region.
India has previously evacuated thousands of its citizens from conflict zones, including from West Asia. The Ministry of External Affairs has said Indian missions in the region are in constant touch with nationals, and helplines have been activated.
The CCS is also expected to review the impact of the reported closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iranian authorities. The strait is a key global shipping route and is vital for Indian vessels, including oil carriers.
Khamenei was killed in a major attack on Iran launched by Israel and the United States. Iranian state television and the state-run IRNA news agency announced the 86-year-old leader’s death early Sunday.
The announcements followed joint US-Israeli air strikes from Saturday that targeted Iranian military and government sites.
US President Donald Trump said the strikes gave Iranians their greatest chance to take back their country, and that the bombing would continue through the week or “as long as necessary”.
Iran responded by firing drones and missiles at Israel and US military installations around the Gulf, and also at Dubai. In India, members of the Shia community held protests in several cities on Sunday, expressing anger and grief over Khamenei’s killing.
In Pakistan, at least 10 people were killed and several injured after clashes broke out between police and protesters who tried to storm the US Consulate in Karachi on Sunday.
