Mini Gulf - A Homecoming Vision for Kerala’s Global Workforce

U-TURN WITH UK

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Many Keralites in Bahrain yesterday attended a public function addressed by Kerala Chief Minister Mr Pinarayi Vijayan. For the expatriate community, it felt deeply personal — a homecoming moment, albeit one away from home.

 In Bahrain, Indians form one of the largest expatriate groups, with a vast majority coming from a single state — Kerala. Whether it’s a businessman, doctor, engineer, accountant, nurse, or blue-collar worker, Keralites are everywhere. The story is no different across the GCC. Of the 3.5 million Indians living in the Gulf, more than 65 per cent are estimated to be from Kerala. They remain the invisible backbone of the region’s workforce.

 Critics have often accused Kerala’s communist governments of offering fewer opportunities for entrepreneurs — traditionally branded as the bourgeoisie — in their efforts to uplift the proletariat. Yet, the irony is that Kerala today provides some of the highest wages for blue-collar workers in India. This is one reason why labourers from other states migrate to Kerala in search of better livelihoods.

 Whatever the reason, Keralites have ventured across the world — perhaps driven by limited opportunities at home or simply by their instinctive risk-taking spirit. Coupled with the state’s 100 per cent literacy rate, this has made Kerala a true land of skills.

 But the world is changing fast. Localisation and nationalisation drives are reshaping job markets from the U.S. to Canada to the Gulf. Expatriates are being asked to return home, raising an important question: How can Kerala reabsorb this globally trained, disciplined, and skilled workforce into the state’s economy?

 It’s time for Kerala to take a bold step — to create a “Mini Gulf Free Zone” within the state. Imagine a self-contained township or corridor where returning Non-Resident Keralites can invest, innovate, and collaborate to start enterprises — supported by special tax benefits, fast-track clearances, and world-class infrastructure, much like those found in the Gulf. A place where Gulf efficiency meets Kerala’s intellect and culture.

 Kerala receives nearly USD 13 billion in annual remittances. If even a small fraction is channelled into such ventures, it could redefine the state’s economic future. “Mini Gulf” would honour decades of expatriate contribution and turn brain drain into brain gain, giving Keralites who built the Gulf a dignified platform to rebuild their homeland.

 If the Chief Minister seriously considers this idea, it could bring new hope to many Non-Resident Keralites concerned about their future. And if this vision becomes a reality, the government could rightly take pride in initiating a model that truly embodies the spirit of socialism — by transforming the proletarians into the bourgeoisie, through opportunity, ownership, and enterprise.

(The author is the Chairman & Managing Director of The Daily Tribune)