'We Received Consular Access Request': MEA On Arrest Of Seven Foreign Nationals
On Monday, NIA arrested six Ukrainians and one American from Delhi, Lucknow and Kolkata airports while they were trying to flee India.
Published : March 19, 2026 at 7:09 PM IST
New Delhi: Admitting that India received a consular access request from the concerned government following the arrest of six Ukrainian and one US national, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said the request would be addressed keeping in mind the legal requirements involved in the case.
“There is a lot about the case and we are aware of this. It’s a legal matter. The relevant Government of India agencies are investigating it. We have received a consular access request and this will be addressed keeping in mind the legal requirements involved in the case,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested six Ukrainians and one American from different locations including Delhi, Lucknow and Kolkata airports while they were trying to flee India. A special NIA court subsequently remanded all seven foreigners to 11 days of NIA custody.
It is alleged that they came to India on visas and then entered Mizoram. Thereafter, they entered Myanmar and contacted ethnic war groups.
The anti-terror agency investigating the case said the accused imported huge consignments of drones from Europe via India for the use of Ethnic Armed Groups (EAG) in Myanmar. Ironically, these groups are associated with insurgent groups in Northeast India.
When asked about their entry into Myanmar via Mizoram, considering that foreigners visiting Mizoram need a Protected Area Permit (PAP), Jaiswal said the agencies investigating the case and the court will ascertain whether they procured one.
“There are restrictions on movement in the protected areas. Whether they were in possession of such a particular document or not, the court will look into. It’s for sure that they need such documents for travelling in those areas,” said Jaiswal.
Referring to the ongoing West Asia conflict, Jaiswal said India called for de-escalation of the conflict. “We called for restraint and de-escalation in the West Asia crisis,” said Jaiswal while addressing a weekly briefing of the MEA.
He said that Foreign Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his counterpart in the UAE and other foreign ministers, including the GCC.
“We reiterate the call for an early end to the conflict. In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the Sultan of Oman about the situation,” said Jaiswal.
Stating that the attack on oil installations and energy infrastructure is deeply disturbing, Jaiswal said, “Yes, it has been a matter of concern. As you know, energy shipping routes have been impacted. Here in India, the Ministry of Petroleum is holding daily press briefings on this issue. The supply of LPG is a matter of concern. Therefore, we are prioritising domestic consumption and domestic consumers first. Their needs will be taken care of, and then we will decide how to manage LPG supply to commercial establishments. However, this remains a matter of concern due to the shortage of supply.” He said that India will buy LPG from Russia as part of diversification as well.
Referring to the return of Indian nationals from the conflict zone, Jaiswal said that at least 9,000 Indians were stuck in Iran. “At least 882 Indian citizens have returned through Azerbaijan and Armenia,” he said.
Jaiswal also said that India has a large community of seafarers and possibly the largest in the world.
“Ninety per cent of our seafaring community serves global commercial shipping. As you would have followed in the briefing by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, we have 22 ships, with 611 seafarers on board. In addition, we also have seafarers across the region. We are in touch with their companies and are trying our best to support them with essentials and other requirements. Several seafarers have also returned. For example, 15 seafarers who were injured and were housed in Basra have either returned to India or will be arriving shortly. Similarly, seafarers from other parts of the region have also been coming back,” he said.
Referring to Chabahar port, Jaiswal said, “The US side has given guidance extending the conditional sanctions waiver for Chabahar Port until April 26. The government remains engaged with all concerned in order to address the implications of these developments.”
When asked about US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s statement on Pakistan, Jaiswal said that as far as Pakistan is concerned, they have "a history of clandestine nuclear nonproliferation, and statements like this again make it clear what kind of threat they pose to the world because of their clandestine nuclear operations.".
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