Ahmad Adil
14 July 2026•Update: 14 July 2026
Sixteen Indians have been killed or are missing in the Middle East since the US-Iran war began, Indian government sources said Tuesday.
They said 13 Indians were killed since the last week of February, when the US and Israel initiated a war against Iran. Three other Indian nationals are missing in the Middle East.
The 13 killed include one who was killed Tuesday when two United Arab Emirates tankers were hit by Iran while transiting the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz in Omani territorial waters.
Subsequently, New Delhi summoned Iran's deputy envoy and protested the killing.
In late February, the US and Israel initiated war and launched nearly 900 coordinated air strikes across Iran, targeting government buildings, military sites, missile infrastructure and air defenses.
More than 3,300 people were killed in Iran, while tens of thousands have been displaced inside the country. At least 12 US personnel were killed while dozens were wounded.
The conflict has also affected citizens from several Asian countries.
Besides 16 Indian nationals, according to an Anadolu tally, at least 18 from Asian nations have been killed or are missing since the war began.
The figure includes four Bangladeshis, four Pakistanis and one person each from China, Nepal and the Philippines. Three nationals each from Indonesia and Thailand are missing in the waters around the Middle East.
