Houthi attacks strand Indian pilgrims as border tensions and Starlink protest test New Delhi

Government coordinates repatriation from Saudi Arabia while facing friction with China and a domestic debate over foreign tech

By LineZotpaper

Published23 October 2026

Read Time2 min

Thousands of Indian Muslim pilgrims remain stranded in Saudi Arabia following Houthi attacks on airport infrastructure, the Indian government confirmed on Thursday, as it faces overlapping crises involving military tensions with China, a domestic protest against Elon Musk's Starlink, and a flurry of diplomatic activity.

The Ministry of External Affairs reported that around 3,000 stranded Umrah pilgrims have returned to India over the past week on available flights, alongside more than 10,000 others who travelled on scheduled services. The government stated it is coordinating with airlines and tour operators to facilitate the return of the remaining pilgrims. The crisis follows an escalation in hostilities between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels, who have targeted several major Saudi airports. One Indian national was killed and two others injured in an attack on Dammam airport, with another injured in an attack on the Shaybah oil field.

Simultaneously, border tensions with China persist. Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) chief Shatrujeet Singh Kapur said Thursday that face-offs between Indian and Chinese troops are continuing at multiple locations in Arunachal Pradesh, despite ongoing talks. He announced a new combat training program called 'Strike', designed to prepare personnel for confrontations similar to the deadly 2020 Galwan Valley clash. Opposition Congress leader Jairam Ramesh criticized the government, posting on X that "the Prime Minister and his entire apparatus remain silent on this grave issue," questioning the "softness toward China."

On the domestic front, an affiliate of the Hindu nationalist RSS movement, the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), is holding a protest march in New Delhi against SpaceX's Starlink, citing national security and digital sovereignty concerns. The SJM said in a statement that it was "unfortunate" Musk chose to accuse Indian businesses rather than respond to security queries, after Musk publicly labelled billionaire Mukesh Ambani the "real boss of India." The protest reflects a wider cooling of Musk's popularity in the country, recently highlighted by Dussehra festival posters in Lucknow that depicted him as a figure opposing Indian interests.

In a contrasting development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. They discussed bilateral ties and the need to restore peace and stability in West Asia. Netanyahu said he invited Modi to light a torch on Israel's Independence Day, an invitation Modi accepted, stating that "India and Israel are fighting terrorism together."

Analysis

Why This Matters

The safety and repatriation of tens of thousands of Indian citizens abroad is directly threatened by the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
The Starlink dispute crystallises a growing global friction between market liberalisation, data sovereignty, and national security, with major implications for the Indian tech market.
Unresolved border friction with China keeps a potential major flashpoint simmering, with significant domestic political consequences for the government.

Background

Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis have escalated sharply. India maintains close ties with Saudi Arabia, a key source of energy and employment for millions of Indians.
The India-China border has been unstable since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, with military stand-offs recurring along the Line of Actual Control despite numerous rounds of diplomatic talks.
India's Hindu nationalist movement has long promoted swadeshi (self-reliance), extending recently to questioning the dominance of foreign tech and telecom giants over domestic infrastructure.

Key Perspectives

The Indian Government: Juggling a humanitarian crisis for its citizens abroad, military readiness on the Chinese border, and the navigation of major power technology disputes and Middle Eastern diplomacy.
Hindu Nationalist Groups (SJM): Viewing Musk's entry and the public feud with Ambani as a threat to national regulatory sovereignty and economic independence, treating Starlink's Ukraine history as a warning.
Political Opposition: Criticising the government's approach to China as ineffective, questioning the balance between diplomatic engagement and national preparedness, and accusing the administration of silence.

What to Watch

The speed and success of the repatriation effort for the remaining stranded pilgrims as the Houthi campaign continues.
India's regulatory decision on Starlink's commercial launch and the resulting political and market dynamics between domestic giants and foreign competitors.
Whether the India-China 'Strike' training program and ongoing face-offs indicate a dangerous new phase of military posture, or a path back to talks.
The trajectory of Saudi-Houthi hostilities and their impact on civilian and economic targets in the region.

Sources

India news: Thousands of Indian pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks disrupt flights · DW English

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 7 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedHouthi attacks on airport infrastructure stranded Indian pilgrims by disrupting flights.DW English: “The Indian government said on Thursday it was working to facilitate the return of Muslim pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia following flight disruptions caused by Houthi attacks on airport infrastructure”
Partly supportedThe Indian government confirmed on Thursday that thousands of pilgrims remained stranded.DW English: “The Indian government said on Thursday it was working to facilitate the return of Muslim pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia following flight disruptions caused by Houthi attacks on airport infrastructure”
SupportedAround 3,000 stranded Umrah pilgrims returned over the past week, alongside more than 10,000 who travelled on scheduled services.DW English: “Around 3,000 stranded Umrah pilgrims had returned to India on available flights over the past week, alongside more than 10,000 other Umrah pilgrims who travelled on scheduled services, according to the ministry statement.”
SupportedRamesh posted that the Prime Minister and his apparatus remained silent, and questioned “softness toward China.”DW English: ““Prime Minister [Narendra Modi] and his entire apparatus remain silent on this grave issue .” “The nation is asking: Amid ongoing tensions on the border, what kind of nationalism is this softness toward China and the growing economic dependence?” Ramesh posted on X.”
Partly supportedThe SJM said it was “unfortunate” that Musk chose to accuse Indian businesses rather than respond to security queries.DW English: ““It is unfortunate that instead of responding to the information requested from his company on national security grounds, Elon Musk chose to indirectly accuse Indian businesses and the government,” the SJM said in a statement on its website.”
Partly supportedModi accepted Netanyahu’s invitation and said, “India and Israel are fighting terrorism together.”DW English: ““Modi thanked me for the invitation and said that, on land and in the air, India and Israel are fighting terrorism together.””
Partly supportedThe SJM is holding a protest march in New Delhi against Starlink.DW English: “An organization affiliated with India's Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) movement will hold a protest march in New Delhi on Friday against SpaceX founder Elon Musk's Starlink”
SupportedFace-offs between Indian and Chinese troops continue at multiple locations in Arunachal Pradesh despite talks.DW English: “face-offs between Indian and Chinese troops are continuing at multiple locations along the border in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, despite ongoing talks between the two countries”
SupportedKapur announced the “Strike” combat training program to prepare personnel for confrontations like the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.DW English: “He also announced a new combat training program, called “Strike,” designed to prepare personnel for confrontations similar to the deadly Galwan Valley clash in 2020”
SupportedAn Indian national was killed and two injured at Dammam airport, and another person was injured at the Shaybah oil field.DW English: “On Wednesday, one Indian national was killed and two others injured in an attack on Dammam airport in Saudi Arabia, while another was injured in an attack on the Shaybah oil field.”
Not in the sourcesThe headline characterises the border tensions and Starlink protest as “test[ing] New Delhi.”
SupportedDussehra posters in Lucknow depicted Musk as an opponent of Indian interests, signalling his popularity was cooling in India.DW English: “Separately, in a sign of Musk's plummeting popularity in India, recently, controversial Dussehra posters displayed in the northern Lucknow city depicted Musk and other international figures, including US Senator Ilhan Omar, as the ten faces of Ravana, portraying them as opponents of India's interests.”