DUBAI: Indians who left the Gulf at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic have started to return, state news agency WAM reported, citing Indian minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.
“The focus of our efforts in the last few months has now shifted to Indians going back to their usual places of work, study and domicile,” the minister said, adding “the largest numbers, not surprisingly, have gone to the Gulf.”
The Gulf states are home to millions of Indian nationals who have been a key force in production across the region’s $3.7 trillion economy.
Jaishankar said that about 4.58 million Indians from 98 countries returned to India during the pandemic – 39 percent of the returnees were blue-collar workers, 39 percent were professionals, six percent were students, eight percent were visitors and 4.7 were stranded tourists.
He added that the Indian government had been actively urging Gulf governments “to look sympathetically at the employment of their citizens as they chart their recovery pathway.”
“The Gulf has been the focal point of our endeavors, though this is a global effort on our part,” he added.
Indian workers start Gulf return as COVID-19 restrictions ease, minister says
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Indian workers start Gulf return as COVID-19 restrictions ease, minister says
- The Gulf states are home to millions of Indian nationals who have been a key force in production across the region’s $3.7 trillion economy
Saudi POS stays above $4bn as Ramadan spending lifts outlays on home goods
RIYADH: Saudi point-of-sale transactions remained above $4 billion in the week ending Feb. 14, with spending on furniture and home supplies rising ahead of Ramadan, central bank data showed.
Overall POS activity totaled SR15.34 billion ($4.09 billion), representing a 4.8 percent week-on-week decrease, while the number of transactions dipped 1.6 percent to 252 million, according to the Saudi Central Bank.
Spending on furniture and home supplies rose 5.9 percent to SR697.35 million, marking the strongest weekly increase among major retail categories.
Expenditure on electronics increased 2.9 percent, while spending on construction and building materials rose 1.1 percent.
Sectors that saw declines includes freight transport and courier services, which posted a drop of 5 percent to SR64.86 million.
Pharmacy and medical supplies spending fell 8.2 percent to SR223.81 million, but outlays on medical services rose 5.7 percent to SR539.68 million.
Food and beverage expenditure decreased 4.3 percent, but the total spend of SR2.57 billion meant it retained the largest share of POS activity.
Restaurants and cafes followed with SR1.73 billion, despite a 4.7 percent decline. Apparel and clothing outlays represented the third-largest share of POS spending during the monitored week, up 0.5 percent to SR1.38 billion.
The Kingdom’s major urban centers mirrored the mixed national changes. Riyadh, which accounted for the largest share of total POS spending, saw a 3.4 percent drop to SR5.32 billion. The number of transactions in the capital reached 80.7 million, down 0.8 percent week on week.
In Jeddah, transaction values decreased 4.4 percent to SR2.12 billion, while Dammam reported a 3.3 percent decrease to SR746.29 million.
POS data, tracked weekly by SAMA, provides an indicator of consumer spending trends and the ongoing growth of digital payments in Saudi Arabia.
The data also highlights the expanding reach of POS infrastructure, extending beyond major retail hubs to smaller cities and service sectors, supporting broader digital inclusion initiatives.
The growth of digital payment technologies aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives, promoting electronic transactions and contributing to the Kingdom’s broader digital economy.
