Indian workers fly home from Saudi after talks

The first batch of Indian workers from Saad Group In Dammam was reportedly flown home on Thursday night following a meeting between officials of both governments.

India’s minister of state for external affairs V. K. Singh concluded a visit to Riyadh on Friday to help laid-off Indian workers return home.

The official met with Saudi deputy minister of labour and social development Ahmed Al-Humaidan, in what was described as a productive meeting, according to Arab News.

Anil Nautiyal, first secretary for community welfare at the Indian Embassy, told the publication that another batch of 120 workers would be flown back to India in the coming days.

A total of 1,740 workers have been sent home by the embassy in the last two months.

Indian nationals have been among the hardest hit by a slowdown in the country’s construction sector this year.

Firms including Saudi Binladin and Saudi Oger have laid off thousands of workers after not paying them for months.

In August, during a previous visit by Indian officials, it was estimated there were 10,000 stranded Indian workers in the country.

Read: Indian minister visits Saudi to repatriate 10,000 stranded workers

Saudi’s King Salman has instructed the Ministry of Labour to fly workers home at its own cost with the promise of sending them their unpaid dues when they are received.

Read: Hundreds of Saudi Oger workers fly home with unpaid dues