JOB SECURITY TO GULF RETURNEES
There
were approximately 3,50,000 Indians in Kuwait at the outbreak
of war on 20 March. Kuwait airport has remained open to normal
commercial flights throughout the duration of war. Air India and
Indian Airlines carried 5703 passengers from Kuwait to India between
19-31 March, 2003. The Government of Kuwait has clarified that
an expatriate can return to Kuwait within 6 months of his departure
provided his residence visa remains valid. There were reportedly
19 Indian nationals in Iraq at the outbreak of the war, all of
whom chose to stay on in Iraq. There are no reports of Indian
nationals leaving other Gulf countries on account of outbreak
of war.
This information
was given by the Minister of State for External affairs Shri Vinod
Khanna in Rajya Sabha today.