Gulf Countries' Entry Curbs on Indian Expatriates: RS Member Seeks Govt Intervention

Rajya Sabha member M V Shreyams Kumar on Tuesday met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and sought the government's intervention to address the issue of Indian expatriates facing problems due to entry restrictions imposed by various Gulf countries. In a letter to the minister, Kumar expressed concerns that thousands of Indian expatriates are in great danger of losing jobs and business in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries since those nations, except Qatar, have banned flights from India and have also imposed certain entry restrictions.

Many Indians, including those from Kerala, had returned home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "A state like Kerala will face



social and economic chaos if Gulf NRIs have to suffer job loss in a big way and forced to remain in their houses.

"I request your earnest intervention in this grave matter concerning the valued expatriates who fill our exchequer with their hard earned foreign exchange," Kumar, who is from Kerala, said in the letter. According to a release issued by Kumar's office, Jaishankar told him that the government is speaking to GCC for a solution to the issue of ban on flights from India.

Further, the Rajya Sabha member has urged the government to take up the issue of clearance of Indian vaccines in foreign countries to avoid confusion and harassment at airports.