‘Not just tax-free salaries’: Indian expat praises UAE’s response to Iranian missile attacks

An Indian man working in Dubai has praised the UAE’s response as Iranian missiles targeted the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, February 28. Tushar Gagerna said that UAE authorities communicated clearly with stranded passengers, dributed free food and water, and issued emergency visas on the spot after news of the attacks broke.Hundreds of passengers were stranded at Dubai airport after news of the missile strikes broke (LinkedIn/Tushar Gagerna)Gagerna had already boarded a flight to Delhi when Iran attacked the UAE. After waiting for more than two hours inside the aircraft, all passengers were asked to disembark. “My flight to Delhi was scheduled for 1 PM. We boarded. We waited. And at 3 PM – we were asked to disembark,” he said in a LinkedIn post. “Iran had attacked the UAE.” (Also read: Bengaluru CEO thanks Air India after Emirates flight to Dubai cancelled: ‘Maharaja getting me home’)The Dubai-based Indian man said there was uncertainty and anxiety in that moment, as people checked news alerts and tried to understand what was happening. However, instead of chaos, the UAE authorities responded quickly and calmly.‘UAE kicked into gear immediately’“The UAE kicked into gear immediately,” Gagerna said in his LinkedIn post yesterday. The senior manager of growth and product at Confidential said that within a short period of time, UAE authorities set up a dedicated waiting area for all affected passengers.After that, all passengers were given free food and water. Gagerna said that offering refreshments was a simple gesture but it signified something bigger.“And then – free refreshments started coming around. Water. Food. A simple gesture that said: we see you, you’re not stranded, we’ve got this,” he wrote.And finally, the most significant detail — UAE authorities began issuing emergency visas on the spot.‘No chaos. Instant humanity’Tushar Gagerna described the leadership style as “organised” and “calm” with clear communication. He said that in the middle of a geopolitical crisis, with airspace shutting down and flights grounded, the UAE ensured that visitors had one less thing to worry about.“Think about that for a second. In the middle of a geopolitical crisis, with airspace shutting down and flights grounded – the UAE was actively making sure that visitors who had no plan to stay, who had no hotel booked, who were just passing through – were legally covered, safe, and documented,” he wrote.“Not chaos. Not bureaucracy. Instant humanity. This is what separates world-class nations from the rest,” said Gagerna. (Also read: Dubai-Abu Dhabi news live updates: Dubai, Abu Dhabi stock markets shut until Tuesday; 3 killed in UAE)He argued that what makes a country “world-class” isn’t just infrastructure or wealth, but how it behaves under pressure. “It’s not just the skyscrapers. Not just the tax-free salaries. Not just the safety record. It’s how a country responds under pressure,” he said.The NRI also added that most other countries would have left passengers stranded without clear guidance. But not the UAE. Instead of leaving travellers to their own devices, the UAE handed out refreshments and set up a dedicated lounge.He ended his post saying he was lucky to call Dubai his home. “That’s the standard. And it’s why millions of us choose to call this place home. Waiting for my flight. Safe. Grateful. And genuinely proud to be based here,” said Gagerna.