New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): Air India has officially extended the suspension of its flight operations between New Delhi and Tel Aviv until May 31, 2026, amid the intensifying conflict in West Asia. An airline executive confirmed the decision on Sunday, citing the volatile security situation in the region as the primary reason for the prolonged hiatus. This move follows a series of disruptions that began after joint military actions by the US and Israel against Iran on February 28, which subsequently triggered a broader regional escalation affecting key energy supply chains and transit routes like the Strait of Hormuz.
The suspension has created significant logistical hurdles for the approximately 40,000 Indians currently residing in Israel. Many students and workers seeking to return to India for personal reasons or to escape the growing tensions are now forced to seek alternative, more arduous routes. Current travel options involve crossing land borders into Jordan or Egypt to catch international flights, as most major global carriers have halted their services to Tel Aviv. At present, only Israeli airlines such as El Al, IsraAir, Arkia, and Air Haifa continue to operate, albeit under stringent security restrictions and limited schedules.
In response to the crisis, the Indian mission in Tel Aviv has intensified its support for the expatriate community. Ambassador J.P. Singh and embassy officials held a virtual meeting on Saturday with Indian nationals to address their safety concerns and provide updates on travel alternatives. The embassy has established a 24-hour emergency helpline and launched a comprehensive registration drive to ensure all Indian citizens in the region can be accounted for and assisted. Officials have assured the community of “constant support” as the mission coordinates with local authorities to facilitate safe passage where possible.
The New Delhi-Tel Aviv route, which utilizes the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, had only recently been reinstated on January 1 with four weekly flights following previous disruptions. However, the rapid expansion of the conflict into a wider regional crisis has made maintaining direct commercial links untenable for the national carrier. As the May 31 deadline approaches, Air India is expected to continue monitoring the geopolitical climate to determine when it might be safe to resume its scheduled services to the Israeli capital.
