PAK GPA

The war between Iran and the United States is destroying life in Gulf countries. And this directly affects India.

Reports from Dubai show that supermarket shelves are going empty. Certain food sections have nothing left. This makes sense because Gulf countries do not grow their own food. Almost everything is imported.

But with the Strait of Hormuz closed, imports have stopped. And most countries only had about 7 to 10 days of food reserves. We are already past the two-week mark.

Videos and reports from Dubai show that hotels are losing guests quickly. Tourism is falling. Businesses are struggling.

This is a big deal because Dubai's economy runs on tourism, trade, and foreign workers. If all three are disrupted at the same time, the entire system could collapse.

Here is why every Indian should care about this crisis.

Almost 1 crore (10 million) Indians work in Gulf countries. They work in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

Every year, these workers send money back home to their families. This is called remittance. Indians in Gulf countries send about $50 billion every year to India.

To understand how big this number is — India's total foreign remittances in 2023 were $125 billion. That means nearly 40% of all money sent to India from abroad comes from Gulf countries alone.

If these workers lose their jobs, if businesses shut down, if these countries face a long crisis — India's economy will feel it deeply.

Iran has been targeting key infrastructure across Gulf countries:

Desalination plants have been hit. These plants turn sea water into drinking water. Without them, people in these desert countries have no clean water to drink.

Oil depots have been bombed.

Kuwait airport is still being attacked regularly.

Dubai airport has reportedly been targeted too.

Amazon data centers in the Gulf were also targeted.

Financial buildings in Dubai, including one housing Citibank offices, have been attacked.

Iran's message to Gulf countries is clear: Stop supporting the United States. Disinvest from American companies. Remove American military bases from your land.

Bahrain is in a very risky spot. The country's rulers are Sunni Muslim, but the majority of the population is Shia Muslim. Iran has strong connections with Shia communities.

Reports say that Bahrain's Sultan has already left the country. Iran has been heavily targeting Bahrain — hitting its desalination plants, oil depots, and US military bases located there.

Governments in Gulf countries and Israel are trying hard to stop information from getting out.

Qatar has arrested more than 300 people for sharing information about the war's impact. They do not want the world to know how bad things really are.

The reason is simple. If people see the destruction and shortages, they will think: "Why should I live and work here?" And since 90% of Dubai's population are foreigners, a mass departure of workers would destroy these economies.

This is a big question that many experts are asking now.

During World War 1, most monarchies in Europe collapsed. Are we seeing the beginning of World War 3? Could the monarchies of the Gulf — Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman — face the same fate?

Iran may be hoping that new governments in these countries would be more friendly toward Iran. Especially in places like Bahrain, where the Shia majority has long felt unrepresented.

Iran's demands are becoming clear:

US military must leave the Middle East. Close all bases. Close all embassies. Pack up and go.

Gulf countries must stop investing in American companies. Sell US bonds. Sell US stocks.

The "Dubai model" is finished. No more building financial hubs and data centers for Western companies in the Gulf.

A permanent solution — not just a ceasefire.

This is already happening. Over the past few days, US bond yields have been rising. This means people and countries are selling American bonds. If Gulf countries start selling their massive holdings of US stocks and bonds, it could shake the entire global financial system.

For India, this is not just a war happening far away. It is a crisis that touches the lives of crores of Indians — from the gas cylinder in your kitchen to the money your relative sends from Dubai.