MEA issues travel advisory urging Indians to avoid non-essential trips to Iran amid nationwide protests

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on 5 January 2026 advised Indian nationals to defer all non-essential travel to Iran and urged those already in the country to exercise “extreme caution, stay away from protest sites and register with the Embassy in Tehran.” The advisory follows a week-long wave of demonstrations across Iranian cities after the rial hit a record low, triggering clashes that local media say have left at least ten people dead.

India has over 5,000 citizens working or studying in Iran—primarily in the oil, petrochemical, medical and religious-studies sectors—and tens of thousands of annual pilgrims transit through the country en route to Iraq’s holy cities. The MEA’s notice may disrupt ongoing business travel by Indian engineering contractors involved in Iran’s Chabahar Port Phase II and could delay shipments requiring on-site quality inspections.



Corporate mobility managers are recommending that assignees obtain security briefings, maintain low profiles, and review medical-evacuation coverage. Airlines have so far kept Delhi–Tehran flights operational, but insurers warn premiums on corporate travel policies to Iran could rise if unrest persists.

The advisory also signals heightened political sensitivity: New Delhi is balancing its strategic investment in the International North–South Transport Corridor with the safety of its nationals. Any escalation could see India temporarily suspend the visa-on-arrival facility for Iranians that was restored last year, affecting inbound Iranian business visitors to Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru’s pharma clusters.

Companies with projects in Iran should create contingency plans, including remote work arrangements or alternate routing through Dubai or Muscat for critical staff. The MEA said it will review the advisory “on a continuous basis” as the situation evolves.