India, UAE Working On Fujairah Evacuation Pact For Indian Workers Amid West Asia Tensions

Last Updated:May 11, 2026, 09:13 IST

The proposed agreement comes in the backdrop of disruptions caused by the ongoing West Asia conflict, which left thousands stranded due to interruptions in air travel.

India and the UAE are working on a new agreement aimed at facilitating the evacuation of Indian workers through Fujairah port during emergencies. The proposed pact is expected to be signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s stopover in Fujairah as part of his upcoming Europe visit, adding another layer to the growing strategic partnership between the two countries.

PM Modi is scheduled to depart for Europe on May 15, with a stop in Fujairah before continuing to the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Italy.

The proposed agreement comes in the backdrop of disruptions caused by the ongoing West Asia conflict, which left thousands stranded due to interruptions in air travel.

Government estimates suggest that in the event of future air traffic disruptions, lakhs of Indians working in the UAE could be evacuated by sea through Fujairah, located west of the Strait of Hormuz. The Gulf region is home to nearly 10 million Indian workers, including around 4.3 million in the UAE.

Fujairah has also emerged as a key alternative shipping route amid restrictions on access to Dubai port during the conflict. The port had earlier been projected as a major hub under the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor. Khor Fakkan is another port currently being used for cargo movement, with goods transported onward by road. Iran has reportedly targeted Fujairah because of its growing strategic importance.

The Prime Minister’s visit is also being viewed as a signal of India’s support for the UAE, which has faced attacks from Iran in recent months. The visit comes amid the UAE’s decision to exit OPEC due to reported differences with Saudi Arabia. Analysts believe India could benefit from closer energy ties with the UAE, particularly as Saudi Arabia continues to impose an Asian premium on crude exports.

Meanwhile, Iran has submitted its response to the latest US proposal aimed at ending the 10-week conflict, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency. While Tehran has not publicly indicated whether it would accept President Donald Trump’s proposal, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that Iran had conveyed its response.

Trump’s proposal reportedly included allowing passage through the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for Washington ending its blockade on Iranian ports within a month. Further negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme were expected later.

In an interview aired Sunday, Trump said it would take only two weeks to strike “every single target" in Iran and claimed the country had been “militarily defeated."

He also criticised Nato, calling it a “paper tiger," and accused US allies of not supporting Washington during the conflict with Tehran. Trump further accused Iran of “playing games" and “laughing at America for decades," while warning that it would soon be stopped.

Iran also issued a warning to Britain and France after both countries dispatched warships to the Strait of Hormuz. Deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Iran’s armed forces would launch “a decisive and immediate response" to any military deployment in the region. “We remind them that both in times of war and in times of peace, only Iran can establish security in this strait," he posted on X.

Despite a ceasefire that has been in place since April 8, tensions remain high in the Gulf. On Sunday, a drone strike briefly set a cargo vessel ablaze off the coast of Qatar. The UAE and Kuwait also reported intercepting hostile drones, weeks after both countries faced attacks linked to the regional conflict.

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