What Happened
- The Andhra Pradesh government has set a target of evacuating all stranded Telugu nationals from the Gulf region within three days, as the Israel-Iran conflict continues to disrupt airspace and travel across West Asia.
- Communication with Telugu people in Iran is yet to be fully established; efforts are being made through diplomatic and community channels to reach them.
- Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to ensure the safe return of all stranded Andhra Pradesh residents from Gulf countries.
- AP evacuated 297 Telugu nationals over three days — 59 via Kochi, 138 via Mumbai, and 100 via Hyderabad — coordinated by the Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS) and the NRI wing of the Telugu Desam Party.
- Another approximately 400 Telugus are still in the Gulf; talks are underway with Gulf Air for dedicated flights to Hyderabad to accelerate returns.
- Many Telugu workers in the Gulf are classified as unskilled/semi-skilled labour, making them particularly vulnerable during disruptions that cut off regular commercial flight operations.
Static Topic Bridges
India's Labour Migration to the Gulf and the Kafala System
Telugu-speaking workers from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana form one of the largest state-wise blocs of Indian labour migrants in the Gulf. The Gulf's labour migration system has historically operated under the Kafala (sponsorship) system, in which a migrant worker's legal status in the host country is tied to their employer (kafeel). Under Kafala, workers cannot change jobs or leave the country without employer consent, making them structurally vulnerable during crises — if an employer withdraws support during a conflict, the worker may be stranded with no legal recourse for repatriation assistance from the host government. In recent years, Qatar (ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup) and Saudi Arabia (Vision 2030 reforms) have partially reformed Kafala, but it remains operative in most Gulf states.
- Telugu-speaking workers are concentrated in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait.
- Under Kafala, workers' visas are employer-linked; changing employers requires employer NOC in most Gulf states.
- Qatar abolished some Kafala provisions in 2020; Saudi Arabia introduced a new labour mobility system in 2021.
- ECR (Emigration Check Required) passport category mandates government pre-departure clearance for low-skilled workers to 18 countries, including all Gulf states.
- India's e-Migrate portal enables pre-departure registration, theoretically giving MEA a database for crisis response.
Connection to this news: The difficulty in communicating with Telugu workers in Iran reflects the structural problem — many are tied to employers who have either fled or been incapacitated by the conflict, leaving workers without the employer-facilitated documentation or resources to exit the country independently.
The Role of State Diaspora Welfare Bodies and NRI Cells
While foreign affairs is a Union subject, several Indian states with large diaspora populations have established dedicated non-resident citizen welfare mechanisms. Andhra Pradesh's APNRTS (Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society) and the state's NRI Cell under the Chief Minister's Office are among the most institutionally developed. These bodies work in coordination with MEA's Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra and Indian missions abroad, rather than replacing them. During crises, state bodies typically act as: (a) community mobilisers, reaching workers through Telugu community associations in Gulf cities; (b) logistics supporters, facilitating ground transport to airports; (c) welfare coordinators, providing financial assistance to returning workers. Kerala's Norka Roots is another prominent model of state-level diaspora welfare institutionalisation.
- APNRTS: State government body mandated to protect interests of Telugu NRIs and NRTs (Non-Resident Telugus).
- Kerala's Norka Roots: Pioneer state NRI welfare body, established 1996; provides re-integration assistance, emergency repatriation support.
- Tamil Nadu Overseas Workers Welfare Board: Provides insurance and emergency assistance to migrant workers.
- These bodies complement but cannot substitute MEA's consular functions in host countries.
Connection to this news: The AP government's coordination through APNRTS and community networks — rather than attempting a unilateral state-government-to-government diplomatic approach — is the constitutionally correct and operationally effective model for state-level crisis response involving diaspora workers.
Vulnerability of Unskilled Migrant Workers in Conflict Zones
The international human rights framework offers limited protection to unskilled migrant workers during armed conflicts. The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (1990) remains poorly ratified — major migrant-receiving countries including all Gulf states and all major migrant-sending countries (except a few) are not party to it. Under general international humanitarian law (IHL), civilians — including foreign workers — must be protected from the effects of armed conflict, but enforcement depends entirely on the parties to the conflict. The practical result is that countries like India must negotiate bilaterally with host states and rely on consular protection under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963) to secure safe passage for their nationals.
- Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963): Article 36 mandates that a detaining state notify a foreign national's consulate without delay; consular officers may visit, communicate, and arrange legal representation.
- 1990 Migrant Workers Convention: Only 58 countries are parties; no Gulf state has ratified it.
- IHL (Geneva Conventions): Protects all civilians in armed conflict zones regardless of nationality, but enforcement relies on parties' compliance.
- India has bilateral Labour Welfare Agreements (LWAs) with most Gulf countries; these typically include welfare fund contributions and repatriation cost provisions.
Connection to this news: The delay in establishing communication with Telugus in Iran illustrates the limitations of consular protection when a host country's own communication and administrative infrastructure is disrupted by active hostilities — a scenario none of the existing bilateral labour agreements were designed to address.
Key Facts & Data
- 297 Telugu nationals evacuated over three days: 59 via Kochi, 138 via Mumbai, 100 via Hyderabad.
- ~400 more Telugus estimated still in the Gulf as of March 4, 2026.
- Andhra Pradesh-based evacuation coordinated by APNRTS and TDP's NRI wing.
- UAE hosts ~4.3 million Indians; ~1.4 million are estimated to be Telugu-speaking.
- Kafala system: employer-linked visa system operative across most Gulf states.
- Qatar partially reformed Kafala in 2020; Saudi Arabia introduced limited labour mobility reforms in 2021.
- India's e-Migrate portal tracks pre-departure clearances for ECR passport holders.
- 1990 UN Migrant Workers Convention: not ratified by any Gulf state or by India.
- Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963): cornerstone of consular protection for nationals abroad.