Indian Diaspora in West Asia
Economic and Human Capital Dimensions
The Indian diaspora in West Asia — numbering approximately 9 million across the GCC states (UAE: 4.3 million, Saudi Arabia: 2.65 million, Kuwait: 1 million, Qatar: 830,000, Oman: 665,000, Bahrain: 350,000) — is India's largest concentrated diaspora anywhere. Beyond remittances, this community serves as a bridge for trade, investment, and bilateral relations.
- The GCC diaspora, despite representing about one-quarter of India's overseas population, historically contributed ~40% of total bank remittances to India.
- India is the world's largest remittance recipient; total inbound remittances reached a record $125 billion in FY 2024.
- In FY 2023-24, the US surpassed the GCC as the largest single-region source of remittances, reflecting the growing Indian tech and professional diaspora in North America.
- West Asia-based workers are predominantly semi-skilled and skilled blue-collar workers (construction, hospitality, retail); any conflict-induced job losses or evacuations create economic hardship for millions of families, concentrated in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu.
- The Ministry of External Affairs maintains a dedicated Gulf Coordination Division and the eMigrate system for tracking and protecting emigrant workers.
● Tracked since March 04, 2026 · last seen April 21, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
International Relations
India-Iran Bilateral Relations
International Relations
Strait of Hormuz
Economy
Historical Precedent
Polity & Governance
India's Foreign Policy Doctrine
International Relations
India's Trade Exposure to West Asia
International Relations
India's Energy Diversification Strategy
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