India warns nationals in Saudi Arabia to avoid balconies and rooftops amid Houthi attacks

The Indian Embassy in Riyadh issued a safety advisory on October 18, 2026, urging Indian nationals in Saudi Arabia to follow updated emergency instructions from local authorities, including avoiding rooftops, balconies, windows and open areas during security alerts amid heightened concerns following drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels. The advisory asks residents who receive warnings through Saudi Arabia's National Early Warning Platform for Emergencies to remain calm, move immediately to the nearest safe place inside a building, preferably an interior room away from windows, and not leave homes or buildings until authorities confirm the danger has passed. The guidance follows a deadly attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on October 10 that killed an Indian national, Mohammed Yousef Ali, and injured several other Indians.

The advisory reflects India's diplomatic response to protect its large diaspora community in Saudi Arabia as regional security tensions escalate. With thousands of Indian nationals working across the kingdom, the embassy's guidance translates Saudi civil defense protocols into actionable safety measures for a vulnerable expatriate population exposed to spillover from the Yemen conflict.

Sources

Outlook India, October 18, 2026, outlookindia.com; Business Today, October 18, 2026, businesstoday.in; Latestly, October 18, 2026, latestly.com