Fact check: MEA debunks India-UAE evacuation pact claim via Fujairah

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday rejected reports that India and the United Arab Emirates were discussing a pact to help evacuate Indian workers through Fujairah port amid tensions in West Asia.

The clarification came after a widely circulated report claimed the two countries were working on an agreement that could be used to move Indian nationals out of the UAE by sea if the situation worsened.

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Fujairah rumours hit fact-check wall

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed the issue during an inter-ministerial briefing in New Delhi on the evolving situation in West Asia.

Responding to a question on the report, he said, “You talked about a particular news item. I would also request you to look at MEA FactCheck because we’ve already issued a clarification on this account. There is no basis, in fact, for such a story. Also, there is no plan to evacuate Indian nationals from Fujairah or from the UAE. So, also please do look at the clarification that we’ve issued.”

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MEA fact-check unit drops the hammer

Earlier in the day, the MEA’s fact-check unit had posted on X, calling the claim “fake news” and rejecting the suggestion that any evacuation plan was being readied.

The post said, “Fake News Alert! There is no basis in fact for such a story. There is no evacuation being planned. Please stay alert against such false and baseless claims.”

Diplomacy over panic, says India

The reports, now known as fake news, had claimed that India and the UAE were working on an agreement to facilitate the evacuation of Indian workers through Fujairah port, with some coverage linking it to the broader tensions in West Asia.

The MEA’s denial made clear that no such discussions or agreements are in place.

Jaiswal also reiterated India’s position that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path to restoring peace and stability in the region.