<p> New Delhi: Nearly 1 crore Indians, who live and work in West Asia, have been caught in the crossfire due to the US-Israel-Iran war. </p><p>Apart from the severe safety risks, the ongoing conflict has also created an environment of job insecurity. Around 1 lakh Indians have already returned home from the Gulf region due to the volatile security situation. </p><p>Thousands of Indians who have invested in the property markets of <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/dubai">Dubai</a> and the other Gulf cities fear sharp erosion in valuation. Danube Group is one of the leading Indian-led real estate developers and employers in the Gulf region. In an interview with Gyanendra Keshri of <em>DH</em>, Danube Group Vice-Chairman Anis Sajan talks about the evolving situation in Dubai amid the ongoing conflict. </p><p>In the virtual interview from the company’s headquarters in Dubai, Sajan delves into the impact of the conflict — on the UAE economy and property markets.</p>.<p>How is the situation in Dubai, with the conflict in the region now stretching into its third week?</p>.Hundreds of Indians stranded in Dubai, other hub airports after military escalation in West Asia.<p>This unfortunate war is between Iran, Israel and the US. Countries like the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been sandwiched in it. The situation is concerning, but here in Dubai, we are safe and sound. We have been well-protected by the rulers of this country. </p><p>If there is any missile threat, we get intimation on our mobile phones. We are also guided on the precautions we are required to take. It tells us what we need to do and where we should move in the case of any threat.</p>.<p>Are there any arrangements being made to evacuate and provide shelter to people in case of any missile attack in a particular area?</p>.<p>There are general guidelines like if you are on the road, you should go indoors. At home, people are advised to stay away from windows and glass.</p>.<p>What about the people who work outdoors, like at construction sites?</p>.<p>I myself run a real estate company, so a lot of people are working at construction sites. None of our projects have stopped. Most of the people are going to work.</p>.<p>At the company level, what measures have you taken for safety and livelihood support of employees?</p>.<p>We have around 5,000 people working with us across the Gulf region. We have given them the flexibility to work from home. As this is the holy month of Ramadan, the working hours are already shortened. Instead of 9 am to 6 pm, the working hours are reduced to 9 am to 2 pm. </p><p>We called a meeting of our employees on the second day of the conflict. Out of the 5,000 employees, a few hundreds have made requests for returning to India due to the fear of war. We are providing tickets to those who want them. We have a branch in Oman, which is comparatively safer now that the other Gulf countries. We have also given our employees the flexibility to move to Oman.</p>.West Asia conflict: IIMA relocates 35 Dubai MBA students to Ahmedabad amid war fears.<p>How do you see the impact of the conflict on property prices in Dubai?</p>.<p>Around 35-40% of our customers are Indians. The Indians who live and work in the UAE and also in other Gulf nations have invested in Dubai. Obviously, they must be concerned about their investment. So far, I can assure that their investments are safe. I hope that better sense will prevail and peace will return to the region soon. </p>.<p>Don’t you think this conflict would make a long-term dent on Dubai’s growth?</p>.<p>The UAE, especially Dubai, has made an impressive growth in the past two decades. Now, the question is, will the UAE be able to maintain its growth momentum? It will depend on how long the war stretches. If the war stretches for say 6-8 months, it will impact the economy.</p>.<p>Have the supply chain disruptions led to food shortage and rise in prices of essential commodities in Dubai?</p>.<p>I have not noticed any shortage of food. All the supermarkets are well-stocked. Leading supermarkets like LuLu and Carrefour have given assurance that there won’t be any shortage of essential items. For the next 3-4 months, I don’t see any shortage of food or any other essential items. The government is keeping a strict watch on prices. So nobody can play with the prices in this critical time.</p>
<p> New Delhi: Nearly 1 crore Indians, who live and work in West Asia, have been caught in the crossfire due to the US-Israel-Iran war. </p><p>Apart from the severe safety risks, the ongoing conflict has also created an environment of job insecurity. Around 1 lakh Indians have already returned home from the Gulf region due to the volatile security situation. </p><p>Thousands of Indians who have invested in the property markets of <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/dubai">Dubai</a> and the other Gulf cities fear sharp erosion in valuation. Danube Group is one of the leading Indian-led real estate developers and employers in the Gulf region. In an interview with Gyanendra Keshri of <em>DH</em>, Danube Group Vice-Chairman Anis Sajan talks about the evolving situation in Dubai amid the ongoing conflict. </p><p>In the virtual interview from the company’s headquarters in Dubai, Sajan delves into the impact of the conflict — on the UAE economy and property markets.</p>.<p>How is the situation in Dubai, with the conflict in the region now stretching into its third week?</p>.Hundreds of Indians stranded in Dubai, other hub airports after military escalation in West Asia.<p>This unfortunate war is between Iran, Israel and the US. Countries like the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia have been sandwiched in it. The situation is concerning, but here in Dubai, we are safe and sound. We have been well-protected by the rulers of this country. </p><p>If there is any missile threat, we get intimation on our mobile phones. We are also guided on the precautions we are required to take. It tells us what we need to do and where we should move in the case of any threat.</p>.<p>Are there any arrangements being made to evacuate and provide shelter to people in case of any missile attack in a particular area?</p>.<p>There are general guidelines like if you are on the road, you should go indoors. At home, people are advised to stay away from windows and glass.</p>.<p>What about the people who work outdoors, like at construction sites?</p>.<p>I myself run a real estate company, so a lot of people are working at construction sites. None of our projects have stopped. Most of the people are going to work.</p>.<p>At the company level, what measures have you taken for safety and livelihood support of employees?</p>.<p>We have around 5,000 people working with us across the Gulf region. We have given them the flexibility to work from home. As this is the holy month of Ramadan, the working hours are already shortened. Instead of 9 am to 6 pm, the working hours are reduced to 9 am to 2 pm. </p><p>We called a meeting of our employees on the second day of the conflict. Out of the 5,000 employees, a few hundreds have made requests for returning to India due to the fear of war. We are providing tickets to those who want them. We have a branch in Oman, which is comparatively safer now that the other Gulf countries. We have also given our employees the flexibility to move to Oman.</p>.West Asia conflict: IIMA relocates 35 Dubai MBA students to Ahmedabad amid war fears.<p>How do you see the impact of the conflict on property prices in Dubai?</p>.<p>Around 35-40% of our customers are Indians. The Indians who live and work in the UAE and also in other Gulf nations have invested in Dubai. Obviously, they must be concerned about their investment. So far, I can assure that their investments are safe. I hope that better sense will prevail and peace will return to the region soon. </p>.<p>Don’t you think this conflict would make a long-term dent on Dubai’s growth?</p>.<p>The UAE, especially Dubai, has made an impressive growth in the past two decades. Now, the question is, will the UAE be able to maintain its growth momentum? It will depend on how long the war stretches. If the war stretches for say 6-8 months, it will impact the economy.</p>.<p>Have the supply chain disruptions led to food shortage and rise in prices of essential commodities in Dubai?</p>.<p>I have not noticed any shortage of food. All the supermarkets are well-stocked. Leading supermarkets like LuLu and Carrefour have given assurance that there won’t be any shortage of essential items. For the next 3-4 months, I don’t see any shortage of food or any other essential items. The government is keeping a strict watch on prices. So nobody can play with the prices in this critical time.</p>