In a significant update to the case of 84 Pune MBA students stranded in Dubai, former BJP Rajya Sabha MP Amar Shankar Sable stated that the Central government had prepared a comprehensive plan to ensure their safe return to India. Speaking from Pimpri-Chinchwad, Maharashtra, Sable said the Union government was closely monitoring the evolving situation in the Middle East and was taking coordinated steps to bring back the students of the Indira School of Business Studies at the earliest. He indicated that the authorities were treating the matter with urgency amid widespread air travel disruptions.
Sable further appealed to the stranded students not to panic, assuring them that their safety was a national priority. He conveyed that they were citizens of India and that ensuring their well-being was a mission for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He added that the Centre was working in coordination with relevant ministries to facilitate their return once flight operations resumed and necessary clearances were obtained. According to him, the government was maintaining constant communication to ensure that all required assistance was extended without delay.
He said, "Regarding the 84 students of Indira College who went to Dubai for a study tour and are now stranded, many parents have contacted me. The administration has also reached out to me, and I have contacted the PMO office..."
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The 84 MBA students had travelled to Dubai as part of a five-day academic study tour. However, escalating tensions involving the US, Israel and Iran led to the sudden closure of regional airspace, leaving them unable to return as scheduled. The institute had earlier informed the Press Trust of India that all students were safe and had been shifted to a hotel as a precautionary measure. Of the total group, 40 students were scheduled to return on Saturday, while the remaining 44 were to depart on Sunday, but both batches were affected due to flight cancellations.
Indira Group of Institutes Chairperson Tarita Shankar had stated that the students and accompanying faculty members were safe and that the management was in constant touch with them. She had also mentioned that the institute was coordinating with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to facilitate their safe return. Meanwhile, aviation operations across key Middle Eastern hubs, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha, were severely impacted, with more than 1,000 flights cancelled by major carriers such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways, further complicating travel plans.
Dubai Attacks:
Iran has launched retaliatory missile and drone strikes on the United Arab Emirates, including Dubai, in response to a major US-Israeli operation that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior figures on February 28, 2026. The attacks continued into a second day with fresh explosions reported across the city.Iran fired 137 missiles and 209 drones at UAE targets on Saturday, with additional waves on Sunday targeting perceived US assets but affecting civilian areas. UAE air defenses intercepted many projectiles, though debris caused significant damage.Key impacts in Dubai include minor damage and injuries at Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest international hub, which is now closed with all flights suspended. Fires broke out on the facade of the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel from falling debris. On Palm Jumeirah, the Fairmont The Palm hotel sustained damage and caught fire, with several injuries reported. Smoke plumes rose from Jebel Ali Port, a critical shipping hub, after hits from interception debris.Casualties remain limited in Dubai, with reports of two to four injuries from shrapnel in homes and hotels, plus broader UAE incidents including one fatality at Abu Dhabi airport and multiple injuries overall. Residents describe loud blasts, panic, sheltering in place, and the city feeling like a ghost town amid travel chaos, airspace closures, and disrupted oil and trade flows.The conflict has spread regionally, with similar strikes in Doha, Manama, Abu Dhabi, and beyond, heightening fears of a wider war. Stay updated through official UAE sources and reliable international news outlets, as the situation evolves rapidly.