Why Indian expats need not panic over Qatar situation
- If the other Gulf countries ask their nationals in Qatar to return home, the gain would be for South Asia
- As long as India does not send a recall notification to its nationals, Indians in Qatar need not worry
- The Qatar economy will have to move on and jobs will be there for the taking
FollowA leading migration expert has assured Indians, especially Keralites, that there is no need for them to panic over UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt deciding to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar.
S Irudaya Rajan, a senior faculty member who heads the migration unit at the Centre for Development Studies in Thiruvananthapuram, said even if these countries ask their nationals in Qatar to return home, the immediate gain would be for South Asian countries like India.
It is understood that there are 6.5 lakh Indians, including 3 lakh Keralites, in Qatar. However, Irudaya Rajan has pointed out that if the other Gulf countries recall their nationals from Qatar, it will improve the employment opportunities for the Indian nationals.
Also read:Â Five reasons why Saudi, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Qatar
"One thing for certain is that there will be short-term gains for South Asia as the Qatar economy will have to move on and jobs will be there for the taking. But it's too early to say what the long-term effects would be," IANS quoted the expert as saying.
According to reports, the four countries have accused Qatar of supporting terrorism, and some like Saudi Arabia are also cutting land, air and sea contact with Qatar. Irudaya Rajan said out that it needs to be seen if these countries ask their nationals to return.
Also read:Â Emirates, Etihad retaliate to Qatar Airway's flight 'suspension' move?
"As long as India does not send any such notification of the recall, Indians in Qatar need not worry. Long term implications have to be studied, and the Indian government should start studying it closely," he stressed.
