An Emirates flight from Mumbai to Dubai made two sharp turns in the air after a missile alert in the UAE on Tuesday. The flight, EK501, was briefly held outside UAE airspace, according to Flightradar24 data.   The UAE defence ministry said air defences were engaging ballistic missiles launched from Iran. Live tracking showed the plane turning back toward Mumbai before resuming its route. It later made another reverse move before landing safely in Dubai.   The incident comes as fighting between the US, Israel and Iran spreads across West Asia. Several Gulf airports had earlier suspended flights due to drone and missile threats. (PC: X)

India has started an evacuation plan as Middle East airspace disruptions affect travel. The Ministry of Civil Aviation said it is working with airlines to bring back stranded Indian passengers. On Tuesday, special relief flights by IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet landed in India from Dubai.   Airlines are adjusting schedules and using alternative routes to avoid restricted airspace. IndiGo also planned special flights from Jeddah. The government said passenger safety is the top priority. Travellers have been advised to check flight status with airlines before leaving for airports. Authorities are reviewing the situation regularly. (PC: News18)

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has postponed Class 10 and Class 12 board exams scheduled on March 5 and 6 in several Middle East countries. The exams were to be held in CBSE-affiliated schools in Bahrain, Iran, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The board cited the current security situation in the region.   New exam dates will be announced later. CBSE said it will review the situation on March 5 before deciding on exams from March 7 onwards. Students have been advised to stay in touch with their schools and follow official updates.

Nearly 700 tankers are stuck near the Strait of Hormuz as fighting in West Asia disrupts oil movement. Data shows crude traffic has dropped sharply in recent days. Oil prices have risen, with Brent touching around $80 per barrel.   India, which depends heavily on Gulf oil and LPG, is reviewing the situation. Reports say the government may limit fuel exports and consider LPG rationing if delays continue. The oil ministry said supplies are being monitored closely. India has reserves that can cover several weeks of demand. However, a long crisis could strain fuel supply and raise prices further.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, thanking them for safeguarding the Indian community and urging the earliest restoration of regional peace and stability. Modi condemned recent attacks on Saudi Arabia and Bahrain as violations of sovereignty and territorial integrity, underscoring India’s call for de-escalation amid the Gulf’s ongoing conflict. The conversation occurred against a backdrop of heightened Gulf tensions and broader regional hostilities, with an aim to protect Indian nationals abroad.

Thousands of stranded Indians received major relief as flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi resumed limited operations Monday night amid the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict. Emirates flight EK500 landed at Mumbai, while Etihad operated four special evacuation flights from Abu Dhabi to Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kochi. Passengers described emotional scenes onboard, with airlines having arranged hotel accommodations during disruptions. India's Civil Aviation Ministry announced IndiGo would operate 10 special relief flights from Jeddah on March 3, subject to airspace approvals. Travel platform EaseMyTrip launched charter flights from Fujairah. Meanwhile, Air India extended its Middle East flight suspension until 11:59 pm March 3, offering affected passengers refunds and complimentary rescheduling options.

India and Canada signed a CAD 2.6 billion uranium supply agreement between Cameco and India's Department of Atomic Energy, alongside cooperation on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The deal was announced during Canadian PM Mark Carney's first bilateral India visit since 2018, following talks with PM Narendra Modi. Notably, it arrives 51 years after India's 1974 Pokhran-I nuclear test which caused a major diplomatic rift between both nations. Both countries launched CEPA negotiations targeting CAD 70 billion bilateral trade by 2030, and agreed to cooperate on clean energy, critical minerals, cybersecurity, counterterrorism, and AI. Congress credited the deal's foundation to the 2008 Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement under PM Manmohan Singh. (PC: X)

An Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi landed in Delhi on Monday night with 310 stranded passengers. Flights were disrupted after Iran launched missile and drone strikes in the Gulf. Families waited anxiously at Indira Gandhi International Airport. Many passengers said they saw missiles in the sky and heard loud blasts. Some said hotel windows shook and debris fell nearby. Parents tracked flights until they entered Indian airspace. Several flights were cancelled earlier due to safety fears. Passengers thanked airport staff for support. Many hugged loved ones in tears. They said they finally felt safe after two frightening days. (PC: HT)

3 Indian nationals were killed in Iranian attacks on merchant ships near Oman, officials said. One Indian died after drone boats hit the vessel MKD Vyom, causing a fire in the engine room. Two more Indians were killed when the oil tanker Skylight was targeted near the Musandam peninsula. Three crew members were injured on the tanker. (PC: Reuters)   Another Indian was critically hurt in an attack on a separate vessel. Around 20 Indians were injured in strikes across West Asia, including 13 in the UAE. Most suffered minor injuries. The attacks followed US-Israel strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader.

Indian-American venture capitalist Asha Jadeja Motwani revealed she spent two hours dining with President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on the night the US and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iran. Among approximately 20 guests, Motwani witnessed senior officials including Marco Rubio, Jared Kushner, Pete Hegseth, and Steve Witcoff moving between the "war room" and Trump's residential area. Phones were strictly banned. She described the atmosphere as confident and historically significant. The strikes, codenamed "Operation Epic Fury," launched February 28, killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and multiple senior figures. Iran has since retaliated with missile attacks across the Gulf. Four US service members and at least 555 Iranians have been killed.