The conflict between Iran and Israel is beginning to cast a shadow on outbound travel demand from India to the Middle East, with industry stakeholders witnessing a growing sense of caution among their travellers.
Alok K Singh, chairman and CEO, Travomint, told TTG Asia that queries associated with rescheduling, safety, and cancellations are up.
“Travellers are being cautious, especially leisure and family groups who tend to have second thoughts during time of crisis,” he added.
According to OAG Aviation, Air India cancelled 83 flights and reduced its international schedule by 15 per cent in mid-June 2025, citing operational challenges and security concerns largely stemming from tensions in the Middle East. Meanwhile, IndiGo reported disruptions across 34 international routes, with average flight times increasing by around 20 minutes due to airspace restrictions and rerouting.
“The combined effect of flight cancellations, longer travel times and heightened security advisories has begun to dampen traveller confidence, signalling a likely decline in outbound bookings from India to the region,” said Mayur Patel, head of Asia, OAG Aviation.
Gulf destinations including Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi are also transit hubs to North America and Europe. A segment of travellers are now preferring direct flights or transits in other regions.
“Before finalising new reservations, visitors are choosing to stay put and wait. Direct flights from Indian metropolitan areas or connecting flights via South-east Asia are being pursued or rescheduled by passengers,” said Trishal Rao, chief sales officer at SKIL Travel.
Hari Ganapathy, co-founder of Pickyourtrail, added that given a large volume of long-haul westbound travel from India is routed through Gulf hubs, any disruption in this corridor would have a knock-on effect on broader outbound travel trends.
“While we have not seen large-scale cancellations yet, we are advising customers to stay informed about their transit routes, and where needed, we are proactively offering options via alternative hubs or helping them modify their travel plans,” he concluded.
However, Rao maintains optimism that travel to the Middle East will return as soon as security is restored, as the region offers “well-established attractions and robust connections”.
