India Prepares Large-Scale Repatriation of Workers Stranded by Pandemic

NEW DELHI—India is working with some Arab Gulf states in an effort to repatriate hundreds of thousands of migrant laborers stranded by the coronavirus pandemic, in what could become one of the largest emergency evacuations in decades, according to people familiar with the plans.

Starting in a few days, India plans to begin deploying military ships and its national airline for the effort, while Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates use civilian airliners. The first wave of repatriations could bring 192,000 Indians home by mid-June,…