Once again worrying news has emerged from the West African country Mali. According to security sources, terrorists associated with Al Qaeda have kidnapped five Indian citizens near Kobri in the western region of Mali. All these Indians were employees of a private company working on an electrification project.

The incident took place on Thursday when armed terrorists surrounded their vehicle and abducted everyone. A company representative told French news agency AFP that the remaining Indian employees were immediately evacuated to the capital Bamako for security reasons. Although till now no terrorist organization has taken responsibility for this incident, but suspicion is being raised on the networks associated with Al Qaeda and ISIS.

Indians were also kidnapped in July

This is not the first case. Also in July 2025, three Indians were kidnapped, including citizens of Rajasthan, Odisha and Telangana. Responsibility for that incident was taken by Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimeen (JNIM), an organization associated with Al Qaeda. JNIM has claimed responsibility for several violent attacks in Mali in the last few years.

More than 400 Indians are working in Mali

According to government figures, about 400 Indian citizens currently live and work in Mali. Most of these are related to construction, mining and infrastructure sectors. Due to continuously increasing terrorist attacks and kidnapping incidents, serious questions are now being raised on their security.

Mali becomes a bastion of ransom and kidnapping

Mali’s Sahel region (which includes Niger and Burkina Faso) has long been a center of terrorist activities. Violence here has been continuously increasing since the 2012 coup and military conflicts. In September 2024, JNIM jihadists kidnapped two Emirati and an Iranian citizen, who were later released after paying a ransom of $50 million.

Sahel becoming terrorist center of the world

According to the Global Terrorism Index (GTI), the Sahel region has now become the new epicenter of terrorism in the world. The report says that more than half of the deaths due to terrorism worldwide occur in this region.

Indian government monitoring

The Indian Foreign Ministry has not yet given an official statement on this incident, but according to sources, the Indian Embassy is in constant touch with the local administration. Efforts have been intensified for the safe release of the kidnapped Indians.

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Saudi Arabia has taken the most humanitarian decision in its history in June 2025. The government officially ended the kafala (sponsorship) system, which had been a burden on migrant workers for decades. The move is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 policy, which aims to free the country’s economy from oil dependence and modernize the labor market.

This decision will directly provide relief to about 1.34 crore foreign workers, which includes about 25 lakh Indians. The Kafala system was in force in the Gulf countries for a long time. Under this, for any foreign employee to work in the country, permission from a local sponsor i.e. employer was required. The employer not only controlled the visa and residency permit (Iqama) of the employee, but also had the right to change jobs or leave the country. This system gradually became a tool of exploitation. Many employers confiscated employees’ passports, withheld salaries and forced them to work. International organizations had described this system as akin to modern slavery.

What has changed in the new labor policy
The new law implemented by Saudi Arabia is based on a completely digital and transparent system. Workers will now have the freedom to change jobs without their employer’s permission, provided they have completed the contract or given proper notice. Employees will also not need an exit permit to leave or return to the country. All processes will now be done through online portal, which will prevent any kind of arbitrary behavior. This change presents Saudi Arabia as a modern, pro-human rights and investor-friendly country.

Big relief decision for Indian immigrants
This reform can prove to be a life-changer for Indians working in Saudi Arabia. Now, if any worker faces poor treatment or unfair wage policy, he can look for another job without any fear. Unlike earlier, impounding passports or withholding permission to go out will now be considered a crime. This will provide Indian expatriates with better security, fairer work environment and fair salary opportunities. This reform will not only increase individual freedom, but will also motivate companies to become more competitive. Will do.

Why was this reform necessary?
This step of Saudi Arabia is not only a labor policy but also a diplomatic message. The country now wants to show international investors and global institutions that it is serious in adopting the standards of human rights and transparency. The International Labor Organization (ILO) has been demanding the abolition of the Kafala system for years. Now this change will strengthen Saudi Arabia’s image globally and attract foreign talent to participate in the country’s economy.

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American Republican Senator Mike Lee has expressed the possibility of banning the H1B visa. He questioned in response to a post on the social media platform X (Twitter) whether the time has come to stop the H1B visa now? The statement came at a time when a post claimed that an officer of Walmart was given a bribe to give priority to the Indian H1B employees. Mike Lee has become the new leader raising his voice on this issue, which has intensified the ongoing debate on the H1B program in America.

The H1B visa started in 1990 allows American companies to appoint foreign employees in specific businesses. This visa is released for three years, which can be extended to a maximum of six years. Every year the US government issues 65,000 H1B visas, while 20,000 additional visas are given to master or PHD from American universities. India has long been the greatest beneficiary of the H1B visa program, especially for IT and technology professionals.

Partition on H1B in American politics
Recently, partition in American politics on H1B visa is clearly visible. Vice President JD Vance said that large tech companies remove American employees and recruit H1B employees, which is injustice to American professionals. He gave examples that companies are applying for foreign work visas even after taking out thousands of employees. On the other hand, Trump had earlier described the H1B visa as a great program and said that employees with H1B visa holders work in many companies.

USCIS director’s stance and possibility of new rules
Newly appointed director of USCIS Joseph Adlo has said that the H1B visa should be used to complement American economy and workers and not to replace them. According to US media reports, the Trump administration is considering eliminating the H1B lottery system and implementing the salary-based priority system. This means that employees who get high salary will get priority.

Impact on Indian professionals
The largest share in the H1B visa program is Indian IT and technical professionals. Every year thousands of Indian engineers, doctors and researchers go through the US H1B visa. If the rules are strict or banned, it will directly affect India’s IT sector and Indian talent.

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