Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday thanked Gulf countries for taking care of Indian workers during the ongoing West Asia conflict and said that India would not abandon its citizens in times of crisis.
Addressing a rally in Kochi ahead of the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections, Modi criticised the Congress for politicising the crisis and urged voters to give the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) a chance to govern the state.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister inaugurated and launched development projects worth more than ₹10,000 crore aimed at improving infrastructure and connectivity in Kerala.
Modi said the government was using all its resources to ensure the safety of Indians in conflict-affected regions.
“It is natural for people to be concerned about the situation in the Gulf and West Asia. Whenever one of our countrymen is in trouble, we have used all our strength to ensure their safety,” he said.
He cited past rescue operations, including the evacuation of Indian nurses from Iraq and the rescue of Father Tom from terrorists in Yemen, as examples of India’s commitment to protecting its citizens abroad.
The Prime Minister also thanked Gulf countries for supporting Indian expatriates during the ongoing conflict involving the US, Iran and Israel.
“I am satisfied that governments of our friendly Gulf countries are taking care of our citizens. Our missions and embassies there are providing assistance round the clock,” he said.
A large number of people from Kerala work in Gulf countries, which have faced tensions after Iran targeted US and Israeli military facilities in parts of the region, including the UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait.
During his visit, Modi launched several projects across sectors including petroleum, highways, railways and renewable energy.
Key initiatives include:
Foundation stone for a polypropylene unit worth more than ₹5,500 crore at the Kochi refinery of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited
Inauguration of two national highway projects, each costing over ₹2,000 crore
Railway sector projects worth ₹142 crore and the flagging off of a new train service aimed at improving regional connectivity
Modi said the Centre would work to transform Kerala into a hub for artificial intelligence and future technologies.
“The ongoing crisis has once again reminded us of the importance of self-reliance,” he said, referring to lessons from the Covid pandemic, the Ukraine war and the current geopolitical tensions.
The Prime Minister also criticised Kerala’s alternating governments led by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the United Democratic Front (UDF), saying the cycle had slowed development in the state.
“Despite Kerala’s immense potential, it has not developed at the pace it should have. The pattern of one LDF government followed by another UDF government has harmed the state’s progress,” he said.