ABU DHABI: The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi has advised nationals not to attempt to travel via the United Arab Emirates in order to reach Kuwait or Saudi Arabia. In a notice posted on Twitter on Monday, the Indian government in the UAE warned: "Due to COVID-related restrictions on incoming passengers, currently it is not possible for Indian nationals to transit via Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait," the tweet from India in UAE account @IndembAbuDhabi reads.

Hundreds of Indians working in Kuwait have been stranded in UAE after Kuwait abruptly announced the closure of its airport to all foreigners. India is among 35 countries banned from direct flights to Kuwait as the emirate battles to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

Thousands of people stranded abroad had been traveling via UAE and other countries like Turkey in order to reach Kuwait after staying in a third country for 14 days and obtaining a negative PCR.

But Kuwait has now closed air travel for foreign passengers from February 7 for two weeks and it is possible it may extend the closures. Indian nationals already in UAE on their way to Kuwait or Saudi Arabia are advised to return home. The Indian Embassy in Kuwait's Twitter account retweeted the notice.