Now Reading: 9.6 million Indians in Gulf face risk as war escalates
-
01
9.6 million Indians in Gulf face risk as war escalates
Nearly 96 lakh Indians live in Gulf states that are now in the direct line of fire between Iran and the US-led coalition. The Ministry of External Affairs recorded 96,79,121 Indians across…
The Story in Brief
Nearly 96 lakh Indians live in Gulf states that are now in the direct line of fire between Iran and the US-led coalition. The Ministry of External Affairs recorded 96,79,121 Indians across the Middle East as of January 2025, with over 95.7 lakh being non-resident Indians. UAE alone hosts about 4 million, Saudi Arabia over 2 million, and Kuwait over a million. These numbers dwarf the 7,000 Indians still in Iran, which has already seen limited evacuations.
Since the war began on 28 February 2026, Iran has targeted US military bases in Gulf states hosting American forces, the same countries where most Indians work. India has set up a 24/7 control room, helplines in embassies, and evacuated 2,557 people from Iran via land borders. Prime Minister has appealed for fuel conservation after markets lost Rs 6 lakh crore in one session. But no plan has been disclosed for evacuating even a fraction of the Gulf population if strikes hit civilian areas.
The Indian Opinion
The media is obsessed with oil prices while ignoring the 9.6 million Indians living on the board of this war. Yes, a barrel matters, but a life matters more. The government has evacuated only 2,500 from Iran, a fraction of the Gulf total. The false narrative that 'India is prepared' because of past airlifts glosses over scale: the Gulf population is 17 times larger than Kuwait during Operation Rahat. The real test is not a control room but a credible contingency for a million-plus evacuation. Can the Navy, Air Force, and civil airlines coordinate that? No one has said.
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
