Over 50% of GCC’s population are expats, with Indians leading at 9.1 million and Bangladeshis at 5 million

A region long seen as a hub of opportunity is now navigating uncertainty as geopolitical tensions escalate. Nearly 62 million people living across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are caught in the broader impact of the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran, with foreign workers forming a significant part of this population.

Indians form the largest expatriate group across the GCC, with around 9.1 million people living and working in the region, the highest among all nationalities.