New Delhi, July 10 -- The Government of India estimates that nearly 90 percent of Indian labor migrants head to the Middle East, contributing to 40 percent of India's foreign remittances-the lion's share. Although South Asians comprise almost half of all migrant labor in the region, their living conditions are often deplorable. Most reside in isolated labor camps, far from urban centers, with greater exposure to the adversities of climate change.

Institutional Insecurities

Migration from India to the Middle East reflects structural issues in both the country of origin and the destination. Pushed by unemployment and pulled by high demand for low-cost, semi- and unskilled labor, the number of Indian migrant workers in the Gulf has increas...