Indians in Dubai Hold on to its ‘Safe Haven’ Image, Even Amid Missile Strikes |
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New Delhi: Thirty-two years ago, when Dubai’s economy was still evolving, Sameer Dhawan, a business development executive, decided to emigrate to the emirate from India. “I was twenty-five then,” he said over the phone from Dubai on Friday, speaking from the midst of a conflict that is rippling across West Asia since a week – and whose shadow has fallen on Dubai as well. Like many Indians there, Dhawan cannot help but reflect on that decision, taken in his youth. “The prospects were better here,” he says, adding, “It is close to home and I also have cousins here. So I decided to set up a life here.”
Dhawan worked as part of the revenue generating team of a leading newspaper for many years until he decided to move into business development in the insurance industry. “I have always felt comfortable and safe here. In so many years, I haven’t thought of moving back,” he says. That remains quite true even today: the only setback he faced during the ongoing conflict was that he was unable to fly to India to attend a wedding in his family.
Over the last five days, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), of which Dubai is one of seven emirates, and its neighbours in the Gulf Cooperation Council have become embroiled in the fallout of the United States and Israel’s airstrikes on Iran, one of which killed the Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The repercussions are being felt across West Asia.
The glittery hub of Dubai, the most popular destination for Indian expats, has also come under attack.
On social media, two contrasting images of Dubai have circulated since then. One shows life as usual – residents dining out, shopping malls open and influencers posting routine updates. The other, shared by some news outlets and users, shows visuals of interceptor missiles striking incoming projectiles, and debris falling near buildings.
A number of videos circulating online were either fabricated using artificial intelligence or old videos being presented as current, so much so that Dubai authorities issued a warning to residents about sharing unverified or “negative” content on social media amid heightened regional tensions.
A number of hyper-nationalists in India have made this an opportunity to criticise Non-Resident Indians and let them know how “grateful” they are to be living in India.
Sometimes I pause and realize how lucky we are to be born in India. While somewhere in the world people are living through war and fear, I’m able to sit quietly and sip my tea in peace. It makes my heart grateful for the little moments we often forget to value. Some ordinary days… pic.twitter.com/jVY7tIabh8 — 𝓜𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓫𝓸𝔀 (@furiouslyhappie) March 6, 2026
Sometimes I pause and realize how lucky we are to be born in India. While somewhere in the world people are living through war and fear, I’m able to sit quietly and sip my tea in peace. It makes my heart grateful for the little moments we often forget to value. Some ordinary days… pic.twitter.com/jVY7tIabh8
— 𝓜𝓸𝓸𝓷𝓫𝓸𝔀 (@furiouslyhappie) March 6, 2026
Look at the quality of life abroad right now-especially Dubai. To those who go ga-ga over living outside India and keep bashing it: in real crises, it’s the Indian government you’ll turn to for evacuation. Criticism is fair. Disrespect isn’t. Be grateful to your motherland 🇮🇳 — Abinash Panda 🇮🇳 (@abinash_vtr) February 28,........