India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday dismissed as “false and baseless” a media report claiming that India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were preparing an evacuation agreement for Indian citizens through Fujairah port. In a statement shared on X, the MEA’s Fact Check division firmly denied the report and cautioned people against circulating misinformation.

“Fake News Alert! There is no truth to such reports. No evacuation operation is being planned,” the ministry stated, urging citizens to rely only on official sources for information. The clarification followed a report suggesting that India and the UAE were discussing a deal aimed at evacuating large numbers of Indian workers through Fujairah port. The report also claimed the agreement could be finalized during a stopover connected to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming foreign visit.

According to the report, the Prime Minister was expected to travel to Europe on May 15, making a stop in Fujairah before continuing to the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy. The UAE recently issued public advisories amid heightened regional tensions. On Friday, the UAE Ministry of Defence confirmed that sounds heard in several areas were linked to active air defence operations intercepting missiles and drones.

In a message posted on X, the ministry said the aerial activity was part of ongoing efforts to counter hostile projectiles and appealed to residents to remain calm and follow official safety instructions. The National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) had also issued a missile alert, asking citizens and residents to immediately move to safe locations while defence systems responded to threats.

The region has witnessed repeated missile and drone attacks since late February after coordinated US-Israeli strikes targeted Iranian military and nuclear facilities. Although a ceasefire was announced in April, tensions across West Asia have continued. Amid the evolving regional situation, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri recently met UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy to review bilateral ties and discuss regional developments. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said both sides reviewed the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and explored opportunities to strengthen cooperation in multiple sectors while also exchanging views on regional and global issues.

During the visit, Misri also met Khaldoon Al Mubarak, Managing Director and CEO of Mubadala Investment Company, where discussions focused on expanding collaboration in investment, technology, and other strategic sectors. The diplomatic engagements come at a time of rising security concerns in the Gulf region. Earlier this week, strikes at the Fujairah Petroleum Industries Zone reportedly injured three Indian nationals.