Khosla himself arrived for the first time a month after the October 7 attack, after the authorities appealed for foreign workers in the construction industry, which ground to a halt when the Gaza war broke out.
“We didn’t know much about the market, and there wasn’t an incumbent workforce from India here,” Khosla said.
“We really had to move around and understand the needs,” he said, adding that he believed India was a natural choice for Israel given their “excellent relations”.
He now hopes to bring in up to 10,000 Indian labourers, as he has a large pool of skilled Indian workers across all trades.
Long-term effects possible
In nearby Tel Aviv, a group of Indians live in a small flat where, in addition to the construction skills they brought with them, they have also learned to cook the familiar spicy dishes they miss from home.
“In a short time, one can earn more money” in Israel, said Suresh Kumar Verma, 39. Like Nishad, he is from India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh. Verma works on a construction site north of Israel’s commercial capital.
“Making money is also necessary… It’s important to continue working hard for the family’s future.”
