The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has cancelled a 2017 notification that imposed special conditions—such as prior government approval and mandatory indemnity bonds—on Indian citizens travelling to Yemen. The reversal, announced on 12 July, reflects a modest improvement in air connectivity via Aden and Seiyun and follows lobbying by shipping firms that employ Indian crew in the Red Sea. Under the old rules, even humanitarian workers needed clearance from Delhi, causing week-long delays and missed charter flights from Djibouti. The withdrawal simplifies procedure: Indian nationals may now apply for Yemeni visas directly, and airlines can board them without additional paperwork. However, the MEA continues to advise against “non-essential travel” and warns travellers to steer clear of active conflict areas, especially the Marib oilfields and the Hodeidah corridor. For global mobility managers, the change means fewer bureaucratic hoops when rotating marine engineers, telecom technicians or NGO staff into Yemen. Still, companies must conduct granular security assessments and register personnel with the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, which handles Yemen consular affairs after the Sana’a mission was suspended in 2015. Kidnap-for-ransom insurance remains mandatory under most corporate travel policies. Shipping lines headquartered in Mumbai welcomed the move, saying it would cut redeployment costs by 15 percent as crew change-over in Aden becomes more predictable. Conversely, corporate security advisers caution that the Houthis retain the capability to target civilian infrastructure. “The regulatory barrier is lower, not the risk,” notes Arpit Kumar of SafePassage Risk Consulting. Analysts see the step as part of India’s broader effort to facilitate labour mobility to West Asia, where over 8.9 million Indians work. But until a lasting ceasefire emerges, organisations must balance operational urgency with duty-of-care obligations.
Source: Akashvani News
