Flights cancelled leave many Indians with short-term visas stranded in Qatar, Embassy seeks details
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Amid the ongoing tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran, many Indians have been stranded in parts of West Asia. The Government of India is working with authorities in different countries to help evacuate people safely, but the situation has become complicated due to attacks and disruptions in the region. Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Qatar has issued an advisory for citizens currently stuck there.
According to the advisory, several Indians who travelled to Qatar on short-term visas are unable to leave because their flights have been cancelled due to the current situation. The Indian Embassy has shared a link to a form along with the advisory. In a post on social media platform X, the embassy said that Indian citizens who are stranded in Qatar between February 28 and March 7, 2026 due to cancelled flights and are in the country on tourist or short-term visitor visas (Hayya A1 visa) should fill out their details through the provided link. The embassy clarified that the form is only meant to determine the exact number and details of stranded Indian nationals who are not residents of Qatar.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi has warned that if the conflict in the Middle East continues for several more days, energy exporters in the Gulf region may be forced to declare “force majeure”. This could disrupt oil and gas supplies and lead to a sharp rise in global energy prices. Force majeure allows oil companies to suspend supply obligations due to extraordinary situations such as war or natural disasters without being held legally responsible for breaking contracts.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Saad al-Kaabi said that if the current conditions persist, exporters in the Gulf region may have to declare force majeure in the coming days. He warned that companies failing to do so could face serious legal and financial liabilities.
He also cautioned that if tankers and other vessels are unable to pass through key sea routes, crude oil prices could climb to 150 dollars per barrel within the next two to three weeks. Natural gas prices could also rise sharply, possibly reaching 40 dollars per MMBtu (metric million British thermal units).
Energy markets have already seen significant movement this week. Brent crude futures have risen by around 20 percent, while West Texas Intermediate has gained nearly 25 percent. On Friday, Brent crude was trading more than 3 percent higher at above 89 dollars per barrel, while WTI climbed over 5 percent to around 86 dollars per barrel. Both benchmarks have reached their highest levels since April 2024.
Qatar, the world’s second-largest producer of liquefied natural gas, has already declared force majeure this week after an Iranian drone attack damaged its Ras Laffan LNG Plant. The facility is the country’s largest LNG plant, and authorities are currently assessing the extent of the damage caused by the attack.