IT majors curb Middle East travel as airspace closures force TCS halt

Tata Consultancy Services has suspended all incoming and outgoing travel to and from the Middle East region, including transit via Gulf hubs, after airspace closures and flight disruptions across several countries made journeys unpredictable and raised safety concerns for employees on the move. The company has told staff to avoid routing international trips through Middle Eastern airports as well, effectively freezing most physical movement linked to its large delivery centres and client projects in the region until the situation stabilises.

Infosys, while not imposing a blanket ban, has “strongly discouraged” all non‑essential travel to the Middle East and asked employees to defer visits that can be handled remotely, even as it maintains that on‑ground teams and client operations remain safe for now. Industry executives say most IT services work is being shifted to virtual modes or alternate locations, but warn that prolonged restrictions could complicate project transitions, on‑site deployments, sales visits and visa‑linked rotations in key markets such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. These travel curbs come alongside a broader advisory from Indian authorities urging nationals in Israel, Iran and surrounding hotspots to exercise “utmost caution”, underline how quickly operational risk has risen for Indian tech firms with significant exposure to West Asia.

CT Bureau