Three Indians hurt in Iranian attack on UAE oil complex as Delhi court resets Abu Dhabi consular bid
Three Indian nationals were moderately wounded when Iran launched a coordinated attack of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones against oil infrastructure in Fujairah, UAE, raising urgent safety concerns for the country's large South Asian expatriate community. The attack came alongside a reported fire on a cargo ship north of Dubai and coincided with broader regional tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Indian diplomatic missions across West Asia to issue safety advisories urging nationals to remain vigilant. In a separate development directly affecting Indians in Abu Dhabi, the Delhi High Court struck down the government's evaluation process for outsourcing passport and visa services at the Indian mission there, directing the entire bidding exercise to restart within one month.
Indian workers wounded as Iran strikes UAE oil facilities in Fujairah
An Iranian attack combining ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones struck oil infrastructure in Fujairah, UAE, moderately wounding three Indian nationals working at the complex, according to Fujairah's media office. The UAE Defense Ministry confirmed it confronted 12 ballistic missiles, three cruise missiles, and four drones on that day; three were intercepted by UAE defenses and a fourth fell into the sea. Separately, a fire broke out in the engine room of a cargo ship sailing around 36 kilometres north of Dubai; the UK Maritime Trade Operations Center confirmed the crew was unharmed and the cause of the fire remained under investigation. Iranian state media, citing a military official, denied any premeditated plan to target Fujairah's oil facilities, attributing the outcome to what it described as US military activity around the Strait of Hormuz. A South Korean vessel near the same strait was also separately reported as having been attacked. The wounds sustained by Indian workers at the oil complex have raised safety concerns across the UAE's Indian expatriate population, one of the country's largest resident communities. Indian embassies across West Asia have since urged nationals to monitor and comply with all safety advisories issued by their respective missions. [6]
🗳️ Delhi High Court orders fresh bidding process for Abu Dhabi consular outsourcing
The Delhi High Court has set aside the Central government's technical evaluation for outsourcing consular, passport, and visa services — referred to as CPV services — at four Indian diplomatic missions, including Abu Dhabi. A bench of Justices Anil Kshetarpal and Shain Jain found the evaluation process deficient and directed the government to issue fresh requests for proposal for all four missions — in Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Singapore, and Canberra — within one month, with instructions to conclude the procurement at the earliest. For the Indian community in Abu Dhabi, these outsourced services represent the primary route through which nationals access passport renewals, emergency documents, and other consular assistance without visiting the mission in person. The court's ruling means the outsourcing arrangement must now pass through an entirely new competitive bidding cycle before it can be finalised. Some disruption or adjustment to service delivery is possible during the transitional period. Indian nationals in Abu Dhabi with time-sensitive document needs are advised to check the official mission website and contact consular staff early to understand how their requirements may be affected. The government has one month to issue fresh proposals; affected residents should monitor official communications from the Indian mission in Abu Dhabi as the new process unfolds. [3]
Sources: [6] The Jerusalem Post · [3] The New Indian Express