Two Indians Killed, Ten Injured in Drone Strike in Oman; Indian Death Toll in West Asia Conflict Rises to Five

 Two Indian nationals lost their lives, and at least ten others sustained injuries after a drone strike struck the industrial zone of Sohar in Oman, marking another tragic fallout of the escalating conflict across West Asia.

With this incident, the number of Indian citizens who have died amid the ongoing regional hostilities has climbed to five.

According to a statement released by the Oman News Agency (ONA), security authorities confirmed that two unmanned aerial vehicles were intercepted and brought down in the Sohar Governorate.

One of the drones crashed into the Al Awahi Industrial Area, triggering a deadly impact that killed two expatriate workers and wounded several others present at the site.

The second drone fell in an uninhabited location, causing no casualties or property damage.

Officials said emergency responders and security teams immediately rushed to the affected locations and secured the area.

Authorities have begun a detailed probe to determine the origin of the drones and the circumstances that led to the attack.

Confirming the casualties, Aseem Mahajan, Additional Secretary in the Gulf Division of India’s Ministry of External Affairs, said the Indian government had received reports about the incident earlier in the day.

He stated that two Indian citizens had died in the attack and conveyed condolences to their grieving families.

Mahajan also informed that eleven individuals were injured in the incident, ten of whom are Indian nationals.

Five of the injured have already been released from the hospital after receiving medical care, while the remaining five continue to undergo treatment at local medical facilities. Officials said their injuries are not considered life-threatening.

India’s diplomatic mission in Oman has established contact with the employer company and local authorities to ensure that all necessary assistance is provided to the victims and their families.

The embassy is also monitoring the condition of those still undergoing treatment.

This tragedy follows earlier incidents in the region that claimed the lives of three more Indian seafarers. Officials said the deceased were members of crews serving on merchant vessels navigating waters in the conflict-affected zone.

Government sources stated that the Indian embassies in Oman and Iraq, along with the Indian Consulate in Dubai, are coordinating with local administrations to complete the required procedures so the bodies of the deceased can be repatriated to India as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised concerns about the safety of maritime routes in the region during a phone conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Thursday night.

The Prime Minister emphasised that safeguarding Indian citizens abroad and ensuring the uninterrupted movement of trade and energy shipments remain India’s foremost priorities.

The discussion took place a day after New Delhi strongly condemned an assault on an India-bound vessel passing through the Strait of Hormuz, allegedly carried out by fighters linked to Iran.

One of the earlier fatalities involved an Indian crew member working aboard a crude oil tanker owned by a US company. The vessel came under attack in waters near Basra in Iraq, leading to the sailor’s death.

The Indian embassy in Iraq later confirmed that the tanker, Safesea Vishnu, which sails under the Marshall Islands flag, was targeted on March 11, 2026.

In the attack, one Indian crew member was killed while the remaining fifteen Indian sailors onboard were successfully evacuated and moved to a secure location.

Officials said the government continues to monitor the deteriorating security situation across West Asia closely, particularly as nearly one crore Indian citizens live and work across countries in the region.

Authorities are yet to release the identities of the Indians who were killed or injured in the Sohar incident, and further details are expected after verification by the concerned missions.

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