Union Minister V K Singh arrives in Jeddah to assist Indians affected by food crisis in Saudi Arabia.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had promised on Monday that about 10,000 Indian workers in Saudi Arabia who have lost their jobs and cannot even buy food due to severe financial hardship will be brought back home.

Official sources said approximately 10,000 Indian workers have been affected by the economic slowdown in the Gulf and the situation was fluid and dynamic. They said the situation varied from company to company.

Sources said 3,172 Indian workers in Riyadh have not been paid their salary dues for several months but are getting regular rations.

Separately, 2,450 Indian workers belonging to the Saudi Oger Company are housed in five camps in Jeddah, Mecca and Taif. Since July 25, the company had stopped providing meals to the workers besides defaulting on their salaries, the sources said.

The Indian Consulate in Jeddah, with the assistance of the diaspora, has provided rations to the workers which should be sufficient for the next 8-10 days, they said.