‘Matter of relief’: Indian embassy says no Indian killed in projectile strike in Saudi Arabia

The Embassy of India in Riyadh said on Monday that no Indian national was killed after a projectile struck a residential area in Al‑Kharj, Saudi Arabia, a day earlier, adding that the mission remains in contact with Saudi authorities.

Earlier on Sunday, a spokesperson for Saudi Civil Defense had said in a statement that two people killed in the incident in Al-Kharj included an Indian and a Bangladeshi national.

“It is a matter of relief that there has been no Indian fatality in the unfortunate incident at Al-Kharj yesterday evening,” the Indian embassy said in a post on X.

The mission said it had been in touch with the relevant Saudi authorities regarding the incident.

“Counsellor (CW) Shri Y. Sabir visited Al-Kharj last night and met the injured Indian national involved in this unfortunate incident. He is currently receiving treatment at a government hospital in Al-Kharj,” the embassy added.

In an earlier social media post, Saudi authorities said Civil Defense teams responded after a military projectile landed on a residential facility belonging to a maintenance and cleaning company in Al-Kharj Governorate.

Authorities initially said the strike killed two people — an Indian and a Bangladeshi — and injured 12 Bangladeshi residents, while also causing material damage.

The Saudi spokesperson said attempts to target civilian infrastructure constituted a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and added that standard procedures had been implemented following the incident.

On Sunday, the Indian embassy also issued an advisory urging Indian nationals in Saudi Arabia to remain vigilant and strictly follow safety guidelines issued by local authorities.

“In view of the prevailing situation in the region and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, all Indian nationals currently in the Kingdom are advised to remain vigilant, adhere to safety guidelines and follow advisories issued by local authorities and the embassy,” it said.

The development comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East as hostilities intensify between the United States and Iran.

Iranian strikes have increasingly targeted Gulf states including the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia as the conflict widens.

Meanwhile, the US State Department said on Sunday it had ordered non-emergency US government personnel and their family members to leave Saudi Arabia due to safety risks after Iranian strikes on the kingdom in response to US and Israel attacks.