Indian Diaspora in West Asia
Scale and Vulnerability
India has the world's largest diaspora, and West Asia (the Gulf region) is home to approximately one crore (10 million) Indian nationals — the single largest concentration. These individuals work primarily in construction, healthcare, hospitality, and domestic services across Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, and neighbouring states. The Gulf diaspora sends home approximately US$30 billion annually in remittances, making it economically critical for several Indian states (Kerala, UP, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan).
- India has conducted large-scale evacuations before: Operation Rahat (Yemen, 2015, ~5,600 evacuated), Operation Devi Shakti (Afghanistan, 2021), and Vande Bharat Mission (COVID-19, 2020, ~7 million Indians brought home).
- The current 2026 evacuation from Iran via Armenia and Azerbaijan (1,200+ nationals including 845 students) mirrors the logistics of past crisis evacuations.
- MEA's 24x7 control room system, embassy helplines, and coordination with airlines and shipping companies form India's standard evacuation playbook.
- Indira Gandhi International Airport and Air India/IndiGo have been designated as key operational hubs for regional evacuations.
● Tracked since March 04, 2026 · last seen April 21, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
See it in today’s brief.
Daily current affairs with every static concept explained in place.
Read the daily brief