With 8.7 mn diaspora in W Asia, India ‘concerned’ over escalating tensions

After Israel bombed several locations in Iran, India – which enjoys close relations with both nations – said it was ready to ‘extend all possible support’ to de-escalate tensions and facilitate resolution of issues.

The conflict has led to multiple concerns for New Delhi, primarily the impact of the conflict on itss diaspora of 8.7 million in the region.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu also called up PM Narendra Modi on Friday. “He briefed me on the evolving situation. I shared India’s concerns and emphasised the need for early restoration of peace and stability in the region,” Modi posted on X.

In the morning, the Ministry of External Affairs said it was deeply concerned about the recent developments between Iran and Israel. It urged both sides to avoid any escalatory steps, adding that the existing channels of dialogue and diplomacy should be utilised to work towards de-escalation and resolving underlying issues.

With Israel, India shares ties in defence, intelligence-sharing and technology, along with cultural ties. On the other hand, India’s 2,500-year-old civilisational links with Iran are coupled with the present-day use of the Chabahar port. Also, the Iranian Islamic regime has a strong influence over the large Shia population in India.

New Delhi supports a two-state solution in Palestine and has condemned both the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas and Israel’s brutal war in Gaza.

Meanwhile, India is also exploring an alternate strategic connectivity project with Iran, the International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC), which passes through Iran and leads to Europe via Russia.

At the back of the mind, the Indian authorities are also thinking about the 8.7 million Indian workforce across the West Asian countries. This diaspora collectively sends in an annual remittance of $ 30 billion. Any major escalation in the Israel-Iran conflict would result their evacuation. This has happened earlier during the Gulf war in early 1990’s, the conflict in Yemen in 2015 and the ISIS threat in Iraq.

Just in Iran, there are around 10,000 students, scholars and pilgrims from India. They are mainly concentrated in Tehran and Zahidan. In Israel, the Indian work force is estimated to be around 25,000. Also some Indian companies have joint ventures in the region.

As per the sources, no evacuation has been planned so far, but Indian Missions in Israel and Iran have issued separate advisories — asking All Indian nationals in the region to exercise caution, follow local security advisories, exercise caution avoid unnecessary travel within the country and stay close to safety shelters.

In West Asia, the UAE has the largest number of Indian migrant workers at 3.4 million, followed by 2.7 million in Saudi Arabia, one million in Kuwait, 8,30,000 in Qatar, and 7,00,000 in Oman. Indians living in West Asia also include 3,000 in Turkiye; 4,000 in Lebanon; 4,000 in Yemen; 16,500 in Jordan; 25,000 in Iraq and 3,40,000 in Bahrain.

The construction industry, with massive infrastructure projects, remains the largest employer, followed by healthcare and hospitality.

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