India urges Israel to ensure safety and well-being of Indian workers

India has urged Israel to ensure the safety and security of Indian citizens who are being flown to the conflict-hit nation under a government-to-government (G2G) agreement to work as blue-collar workers, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on April 4. He added that India was “distressed” at the recent attack on Iranian diplomatic premises in Damascus that both Syria and Iran blamed on Tel Aviv. “As you are aware, these [first batch] workers have gone to Israel as part of a mobility agreement that we have signed with the country. This agreement predates the conflict. We are conscious of their safety. We have urged the Israeli authorities to ensure their safety and well-being,” Mr. Jaiswal said, responding to a question from The Hindu at his weekly media briefing. Israel and India had signed an agreement to fly around 42,000 workers from here to various spots in Israel. On Thursday, Mr. Jaiswal expressed India’s position on the attack in Damascus, saying, “We have noted with concern the attack on Iranian diplomatic premises in Syria on 1 April 2024. India is distressed at the escalating tensions in West Asia, and their potential to fuel further violence and instability. We urge all parties to avoid actions that go against commonly accepted principles and norms of international law.”