India mourns ex-Yemen President Hadi, calls him a ‘friend of India'
Synopsis
India's condolence for Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi is more than diplomatic courtesy. The former Yemen President, who died in Riyadh at 80, was central to India's 2015 Operation Raahat evacuation and to New Delhi's quiet but consequential stake in a country straddling one of the world's most contested shipping lanes.
Key Takeaways
Former Yemen President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi died in Riyadh on 28 May at the age of 80 .
MEA Secretary Sripriya Ranganathan signed the condolence book at the Yemen Embassy in New Delhi on 3 June .
The MEA called Hadi a ‘friend of India' who strengthened India-Yemen ties.
Hadi served as Yemen's President from 2012 to 2022 , a period defined by civil war and Houthi conflict.
In 2022 , he transferred power to an eight-member Presidential Leadership Council .
India on Wednesday, 3 June, formally conveyed its condolences on the death of former Yemen President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, describing him as a ‘friend of India' who played a meaningful role in deepening bilateral ties. Sripriya Ranganathan, Secretary (Consular, Passport and Visa, and Overseas Indian Affairs) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), signed the condolence book at the Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in New Delhi.
India's official message
‘Secretary (CPV and OIA), Ms. Sripriya Ranganathan visited the Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in New Delhi to sign the condolence book on the sad demise of the former President of Republic of Yemen Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi,' the MEA said in a post on X. The ministry added that ‘the Government of India expresses its sincere condolences to the family of the former President, and to the Government and people of the Republic of Yemen,' noting that Hadi ‘will be remembered as a friend of India who made significant contributions to strengthen India-Yemen relationship.'
How and when Hadi died
Hadi passed away in Riyadh on 28 May at the age of 80, according to Yemen TV, the Yemeni state-run broadcaster operating from Saudi Arabia. Born on 1 September 1945, he rose through Yemen's military and political ranks, serving as the country's Vice President from 1994 before assuming the presidency in 2012.
A presidency shaped by conflict
Hadi took office as part of a Gulf-backed transition following the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and launched what was then described as the largest restructuring of Yemen's military and security institutions. The transition unravelled after Houthi forces moved south and seized key state institutions in Sanaa. In January 2015, Hadi resigned after Houthi fighters surrounded the presidential palace and placed him under house arrest. He escaped to Aden in February that year, withdrew his resignation, and called for foreign intervention.
In March 2015, a Saudi-led Arab coalition launched a military operation against the Houthis at Hadi's request, triggering a prolonged conflict that continues to shape the region. In 2022, Hadi transferred his powers to an eight-member Presidential Leadership Council tasked with unifying anti-Houthi factions and reviving political settlement efforts.
Why India's tribute matters
Yemen sits along a critical stretch of the Arabian Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint, both vital to India's energy imports and shipping routes. New Delhi's measured tribute signals continuity in its engagement with Yemen's internationally recognised political track, even as the country remains fragmented. India had earlier mounted Operation Raahat in 2015 to evacuate thousands of Indians from Yemen during the height of the conflict — an operation made possible in part through cooperation with the Hadi government and regional partners.
What lies ahead
With Hadi's passing, attention shifts to the Presidential Leadership Council and ongoing UN-led efforts to broker a durable ceasefire. For India, the priority remains safeguarding maritime trade corridors and the welfare of its diaspora across the Gulf.
Point of View
But the strategic subtext is harder to miss. Yemen's geography — astride Bab el-Mandeb — makes it inseparable from India's energy security and the safety of Indian seafarers, who have already borne the brunt of Houthi Red Sea attacks. New Delhi's relationship with the Hadi-era government underpinned Operation Raahat in 2015, one of the most successful evacuations in Indian diplomatic history. With Hadi gone and the Presidential Leadership Council still fragile, India will need to recalibrate its engagement without a familiar interlocutor.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi?
Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi was the former President of Yemen, in office from 2012 to 2022. He rose through Yemen's military and political ranks, served as Vice President from 1994, and assumed the presidency under a Gulf-backed transition after Ali Abdullah Saleh's resignation.
When and where did Hadi die?
Hadi died in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on 28 May at the age of 80, according to Yemeni state broadcaster Yemen TV. He had been based in Saudi Arabia for much of the latter part of his political life.
How did India respond to Hadi's death?
India officially conveyed its condolences on 3 June, with MEA Secretary Sripriya Ranganathan signing the condolence book at the Yemen Embassy in New Delhi. The MEA called Hadi a ‘friend of India' who made significant contributions to strengthening India-Yemen ties.
Why does India's relationship with Yemen matter?
Yemen lies along the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a critical chokepoint for global shipping and India's energy imports. India's ties with the Hadi-era government also enabled Operation Raahat in 2015, when thousands of Indians were evacuated during the civil war.
What happened to Hadi's powers after 2022?
In 2022, Hadi transferred his presidential powers to an eight-member Presidential Leadership Council. The body was tasked with uniting anti-Houthi factions and reviving efforts toward a political settlement of the conflict.
