Stay Indoors: Indian IT Issues Advisory to MEA Employees as Iran War Intensifies

As geopolitical tensions intensify across the Middle East amid the ongoing Iran conflict, India’s leading IT services companies have moved swiftly to safeguard employees in the region, suspending travel and issuing safety advisories while maintaining close coordination with local authorities.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India’s largest IT services exporter, told AIM that it has suspended all travel to and from the region and activated emergency response mechanisms to monitor employee safety.

“In light of the ongoing geopolitical developments in the Middle East, all our associates have been advised to stay indoors, avoid non-essential travel, and strictly follow guidance issued by local authorities,” the company informed.

The IT giant said its HR and country leadership are closely monitoring the safety and well-being of its associates in the Middle East. It has set up a call tree and is contacting all its associates in impacted and bordering regions. 

“We are also coordinating closely with local authorities and the Indian Embassies to track developments and will continue to provide timely updates as the situation evolves. The safety and well-being of our associates and their families remain our highest priority,” the TCS advisory read. 

Similarly, Wipro has issued movement advisories and a no-travel directive covering multiple affected countries.

“We have asked our employees to follow all local guidelines issued by the respective countries, particularly regarding movement to safer locations and any restrictions on stepping outside their homes,” the company stated.

“In addition, we have issued a no-travel advisory for all impacted countries in the region. Around 10 or more countries have been affected by the conflict, and we have advised our employees not to travel to these locations,” the company told AIM. 

As for employee presence, Wipro said it has a sizeable number of employees in the region, including in Dubai.

According to ET, Infosys has also issued a similar advisory, noting significant disruptions to international air travel due to restricted airspace and flight cancellations by several airlines, particularly those operating to and from the Middle East and India.

“The safety and well-being of our employees remain our top priority. We are closely monitoring the situation and will share further updates as required,” Infosys reportedly said in its communication to employees.

The Bengaluru-headquartered company advised employees scheduled to travel within the next 48 hours to check airline websites for real-time updates and consider postponing travel plans. It also said it is in constant communication with airline partners to track schedule changes and provide updated travel guidance for official trips.

Strategic Stakes in the Region

The US-Israel strikes on Iran threaten to spill into a wider regional conflict, as Iran retaliates and targets US assets in the Middle East. 

The conflict comes at a time when Indian IT and BPM companies are deepening their strategic footprint across the region through partnerships, innovation hubs, and local subsidiaries.

Cognizant is working with DAMAC Group to modernise IT operations and enhance customer experience. TCS has strengthened its regional delivery presence with a new facility in Oman and continues to drive co-innovation initiatives through its TCS Pace Studio in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Infosys is expanding its core banking platform Finacle across EMEA markets, targeting deeper penetration in Middle Eastern banking systems.

Mumbai-headquartered Firstsource Solutions has incorporated a Dubai subsidiary to scale local operations, while HCLTech has entered an AI-led transformation partnership with Dubai Islamic Bank.

Meanwhile, LTM (formerly LTIMindtree) has partnered with Aramco Digital, a technology subsidiary of oil and gas company Saudi Aramco, to launch NextEra, aimed at advancing large-scale digital and IT services initiatives in Saudi Arabia. LTM did not issue any official advisory at the time of publishing this report. 

Indian IT majors have also built extensive subsidiary networks across the region, with almost all the tier-1 and tier-2 companies operating entities in the region.

With several hundred employees deployed across delivery centres, client locations, and innovation hubs, the region represents both a strategic growth corridor and operational exposure for Indian IT services firms.

AIM contacted Cognizant, HCLTech, and Coforge for the story, but they were unavailable to comment.

As a precautionary measure, Nasscom has advised member companies to defer travel to affected areas.

"Member companies have also been advised to enable work-from-home arrangements for employees currently in the region," the industry body said in a statement.