India's External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid. (AFP)
The Kingdom's Nitaqat drive targeting illegals has received support from India.
India's External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said the new Saudi labor policy would affect only illegal immigrants and not genuine workers employed in the Kingdom.
Speaking to IANS here, he said: "Genuine workers need not worry. It will impact only those who don't have proper work permit."
Khurshid said Saudi Arabia needs Indian labor. "Removal of illegal immigrants will open the doors for genuine workers."
Khurshid said the new law was not just for Indians and it would also affect thousands of illegal immigrants from countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. "For genuine workers it will open up opportunities," he said.
Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi and Minister of State for external affairs E. Ahamed are scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia later this month to discuss the matter with the authorities and find a possible solution.
After meeting Saudi Ambassador to India Saud Mohammed Alsati in New Delhi on Friday, Ravi announced that the Indian government would provide all assistance to its workers in the Kingdom without proper documents to return home.
There are 6.5 million Indians in the Gulf, including 2.45 million in Saudi Arabia. A large number of them are from the southern state of Kerala.
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