India's MEA asks students abroad to register for emergency evacuations
India's Ministry of External Affairs is asking students studying overseas to register with their local embassy or high commission.
The big idea? Build a single, up-to-date database so officials can quickly reach and help Indian students during emergencies: think war zones or sudden evacuations like in Ukraine and Iran.
Right now, there is no central list, just scattered estimates and an underused Madad portal with only 41,000 sign-ups out of more than 1 million Indians studying abroad.
India's embassies run drives in hotspots
To get the word out, embassies are running awareness drives in student hotspots like the US Canada, Germany, and even newer favorites for medical studies like Georgia and Kyrgyzstan.
Registration rates are still pretty low (sometimes under 10%), but officials hope a new or improved platform will make signing up easier.
Besides emergencies, this database could also help students navigate local laws and culture shocks more smoothly wherever they land.