Why is travelling to this country by Indian nationals banned?

International travel for Indian citizens has become easier over the years, with many countries offering e-visas, visa-on-arrival facilities, and relaxed entry requirements. Yet there is one destination where the situation is completely different. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, for Indian passport holders, travel to Yemen is not just discouraged, it is officially banned by the Government of India.

The restriction, imposed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), means that Indian nationals are not permitted to travel to Yemen by air, sea, or land unless they receive special permission from the Indian government, an NOC. According to the official travel advisory issued by the Government of India, Indian citizens are banned from traveling to Yemen until further notice. This advisory has been issued in 2017 and remains valid to date.

What the Government of India’s rule says

The Government of India has issued a stern travel advisory that says Indian citizens are banned from traveling to Yemen until further notice due to the extremely volatile security situation in Yemen.

According to this travel advisory:

• Indian citizens should not travel to Yemen under any circumstances.
• Indian citizens are not allowed to travel to Yemen by air, land, or sea routes without special permission.
• Indian citizens who violate this travel advisory may be penalized under the Passports Act.
• The authorities may impound or cancel the passport of Indian citizens who violate this travel ban.

The government has reiterated the advisory through Indian embassies and consulates around the world. The government has emphasized that the security situation in Yemen is critical.

In exceptional humanitarian, diplomatic, and emergency situations, Indian citizens can seek special permission from the government before traveling. Without the permission of the government, traveling to Yemen is considered an infringement of the advisory.

The conflict that changed everything

The ban on traveling from Yemen is mainly due to the devastating civil war that has been ongoing in the country since 2015. The civil war has seen various parties fighting against each other. The parties include the government of Yemen, the Houthis, and various militaries. The civil war has caused Yemen to become one of the most unstable and insecure countries in the world. Thousands of Indians were stranded in Yemen in 2015 due to the escalation of the civil war. This led to the Indian government undertaking a massive evacuation mission known as Operation Raahat.

Cities that were once a hub for travelers due to their ancient buildings and culture have been plagued by violence, with air and land routes being a no-go area, thus making it dangerous for travelers. Due to the unpredictable nature of the war, security arrangements may change at any time, putting the lives of foreigners at risk. The second main reason for the travel ban is the presence of armed groups in Yemen.

For a country like India, ensuring the security of the citizens in such a situation becomes extremely challenging.

Collapse of infrastructure and services

The ongoing war in Yemen has caused extensive damage to the country’s infrastructure and economy. In Yemen today:

• Hospitals are not supplied with basic medical equipment
• Electricity and water services are not available
• Transport facilities are damaged
• Food scarcity is a common problem

International airlines do not operate regular commercial flights to Yemen. The routes through which people travel can be disrupted at any time. In emergency situations, evacuating foreigners can be extremely difficult.

Limited diplomatic assistance

The second problem is that governments are not in a position to offer assistance to their citizens within Yemen. Due to security reasons, many countries, including India, have reduced their diplomatic presence within Yemen. As a result, in situations such as injury, arrest, or kidnapping, providing assistance to travellers is extremely difficult. For this reason, governments prefer to prevent travel altogether rather than risk having citizens stranded in a conflict zone.