Nine million Indians live and work across the Gulf Cooperation Council countries — UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. They collectively send home over $50 billion in remittances every year. Right now, every one of them is watching the US-Iran conflict with anxiety that the news headlines simply do not capture.
The Immediate Situation
Airspace across the region has been disrupted. The UAE temporarily closed its airspace following Iranian missile threats. Flights to and from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Kuwait City have been delayed, cancelled, and rerouted.
For Indian workers who were planning to travel home, or families trying to visit, this is a genuine crisis. Air India, IndiGo, and Air Arabia have all modified their Gulf routes.
Is It Safe to Stay?
For the vast majority of Indian workers in the Gulf, the honest answer is yes — for now. The conflict is primarily between Iran, Israel, and the United States. The GCC countries are not parties to this conflict, though they are economically affected.
The UAE in particular has maintained strict neutrality and has strong air defence systems. Dubai and Abu Dhabi have not been targeted.
That said, the situation is fluid. Indian workers in the Gulf should take these steps immediately.
What Indian Professionals in the Gulf Should Do Right Now
Register with the Indian Embassy or Consulate in your country. This ensures you are on the evacuation list if the situation deteriorates. The process takes 10 minutes online and is free.
Keep your passport, visa documents, and one month of savings accessible. Do not leave all your money in a single local bank account.
Stay informed through official channels — the Indian Embassy’s social media and the Ministry of External Affairs website, not WhatsApp forwards.
Have a conversation with your employer about contingency plans. Most large Gulf employers have evacuation protocols for foreign workers.
The Remittance Impact
Remittances from the Gulf account for approximately 3.5% of India’s GDP. Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh are the states most dependent on Gulf remittances.
If the conflict forces large-scale evacuation of Indian workers — which has happened before, during the Gulf War of 1990 and the Iraq War of 2003 — the economic impact on these states would be severe. The 1990 evacuation of 180,000 Indians from Kuwait remains one of the largest civilian evacuations in history.
The government is monitoring the situation closely. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar has spoken with counterparts in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The Indian Navy has vessels on standby in the Arabian Sea.
The Bigger Picture
India’s Gulf diaspora is one of its greatest strategic assets. Protecting them — and ensuring the economic corridor between India and the Gulf remains functional — is a core foreign policy priority. How India navigates this crisis will define its regional influence for the next decade.