10 Million Indians Live, Work In Gulf: Why Israel-Iran War Is Bringing Back 1990 ‘Airlift’ Memories

Last Updated:March 04, 2026, 13:48 IST

Why new Gulf crisis emerging from US-Israel-Iran war is bringing back memories of Great Evacuation of Indians in 1990s, which was the theme of the movie Airlift, News18 explains

Amid the US-Israel-Iran war, a ‘new Gulf crisis’ is brewing, which could have direct and severe implications for India due to its massive diaspora and energy dependence.

Why this has brought back memories of the 1990 mass exodus of Indian disapora, News18 explains

Human impact and evacuation

Roughly 9.5 to 10 million Indians live and work in the Gulf region, primarily in the UAE (3.56 million), Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. As many as 37 Indian-flagged ships with over 1,000 seafarers are stuck in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the adjoining sea areas as the key shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz is closed due to the ongoing military actions involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

At least one Indian national was confirmed killed on a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, MKD VYOM, hit by a projectile near Oman.

Hundreds are currently stranded in transit hubs like Dubai due to regional airspace closures. Over 250 flights were cancelled in a single day across major Indian airports such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai due to Middle Eastern airspace closures.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has reviewed large-scale evacuation plans, though no formal order has been issued as of March 4, 2026. The Ministry of Civil Aviation has scheduled 58 relief flights for March 4 (30 by IndiGo, 23 by Air India/Express) to move stranded passengers.

Energy and Economic Security

India imports 88-90% of its crude oil, with a significant portion transiting the now-threatened Strait of Hormuz.

Qatar, which supplies about two-thirds of India’s LNG, has halted production following drone strikes, forcing Indian firms to cut gas supplies to domestic industries. Crude oil prices jumped from ~$65 to over $72-73 per barrel in early March, with analysts warning of further spikes if the conflict persists.

The government states India has approximately 8 weeks (approx. 50-60 days) of total fuel inventory (crude and products) to manage short-term shocks, according to Al-Jazeera.

Freight and war-risk insurance premiums for cargo are expected to rise by 15% to 20%, increasing the cost of Indian exports.

Diplomatic Response

PM Narendra Modi has spoken to eight West Asian leaders (including Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, and Israel) to advocate for dialogue and ensure the safety of Indian nationals.

Russia has reportedly offered to step up energy supplies to India to fill the gap left by Gulf disruptions.

India is maintaining a “tightrope" walk, condemning attacks on partners while calling for restraint to protect its strategic interests with both Iran and Israel.

What had happened in 1990?

The 1990s Gulf Crisis, more commonly known as the Gulf War (1990–1991), was an international conflict triggered by Iraq’s invasion and annexation of Kuwait on August 2, 1990.

Iraq, led by Saddam Hussein, was heavily debt-ridden ($80 billion) following the eight-year Iran-Iraq War and pressured Kuwait to forgive its loans. Iraq accused Kuwait of “slant drilling" into the shared Rumaila oil field and exceeding OPEC production quotas, which lowered global oil prices and damaged Iraq’s economy.

Hussein asserted that Kuwait was historically part of Iraq, specifically the province of Basra.

The 1990s Gulf Crisis sparked one of the largest and most dramatic civilian evacuations in history, fundamentally changing India’s relationship with its diaspora.

The Great Evacuation And The Impact

When Iraq invaded Kuwait, approximately 170,000 Indians were stranded. The Indian government, led by the Ministry of External Affairs, organized a massive rescue operation.

Over a period of 59 days, Air India operated 488 flights to fly nearly 112,000 people from Amman, Jordan (where refugees had fled by bus) back to India. This remains the largest civilian evacuation by air ever recorded.

Thousands of Indians had to drive through the desert in makeshift convoys to reach the Jordanian border, often under harrowing conditions and facing food shortages.

The crisis had a severe immediate impact on the Indian economy. Thousands of high-earning professionals and laborers lost their jobs, businesses, and savings overnight. The sudden stop in “Gulf money" contributed to India’s 1991 Global oil prices spiked, making India’s imports significantly more expensive at a time when its foreign exchange reserves were already dangerously low.

The event led India to create more robust mechanisms for protecting its citizens abroad, eventually leading to the creation of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (later merged back with the MEA).

Pop Culture: The event was famously dramatized in the 2016 Bollywood film Airlift, which highlighted the role of local Indian businessmen in Kuwait who coordinated with the government to save their community.

With Agency Inputs

News explainers 10 Million Indians Live, Work In Gulf: Why Israel-Iran War Is Bringing Back 1990 ‘Airlift’ Memories

Read More