Caught in the middle: Over 25% of Indian students abroad are in the Gulf region

More trouble for Indian students overseas

• Nearly five lakh Indian students study in Gulf conflict zones
• UAE hosts the highest number of Indian students in the region
• Escalating tensions may disrupt studies and travel for students

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Nearly five lakh Indian students, almost a fourth of India’s overseas student population, are in the Gulf countries, which find themselves in the line of fire amid the ongoing US, Israel and Iran conflict. A prolonged conflict not only threatens academic disruption but also poses a security risk.

On February 28, Israel and the US carried pre-emptive strikes on Tehran, killing the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran has since responded with strikes on US bases and civilian infrastructure across Middle Eastern countries, pushing the entire region into war.

In 2025, India had 1.88 million students studying in universities and schools across 150 countries, according to data compiled from government sources.

A high concentration of students is found in West Asia, where several schools offer the Indian curriculum, catering to the region’s 9 million-strong diaspora.

Gulf emerges as a major education hub

Among conflict-exposed countries, the United Arab Emirates hosts the largest number of Indian students at 253,832, followed by Saudi Arabia (75,830), Kuwait (50,000), Qatar (49,346) and Oman (44,847), according to government data.

Together with smaller student populations in Bahrain (28,620), Iran (2,965) and Israel (900), the total number of Indian students in affected countries rises to roughly five lakh, highlighting the region’s growing importance beyond employment migration.

Unlike the West, where most students enrol in universities, Gulf countries host a large number of school-level Indian students, most of whom are children of expatriate workers.

On March 1, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) said Class 10 and Class 12 board examinations scheduled for March 2 in countries in West Asia have been postponed in view of the prevailing situation in the region.

Conflict risks extend beyond travel disruptions

Airspace closures, flight suspensions and regional instability could disrupt academic calendars if the conflict worsens.

With nearly one in four overseas Indian students in the Gulf region, prolonged instability could have implications not only for families and institutions but also for India’s broader diaspora management strategy.