West Asia
- rooted in geography, civilizational ties, strategic priorities
- central to India’s foreignp olyc due to importance in energy, trade, diaspora, counter terrorism
- Look West, dehyphenation policies, fostering multi dimensional partnerships while navigating regional complexities
Areas of cooperation
- trade & commerce: UAE top partner
- trade $83B in 2023
- target: $100B by 2027 under CEPA
- strategic ties: Isreal Barak Missiles, defence coop w/ UAE
- Migration & labour: gulf hosts millions of indian workers - remittance, soft power
- Humanitarian Assistance: aid to Syria, Op Dost
- Connectivity
| Country | Details |
|---|
| UAE | 3rd largest trade partner |
| 3.4M diaspora |
| Iraq | $28.11B Crude oil imports 2023 |
| Qatar | 41% of india’s LNG imports |
| Oman | Duqm Port access boosts maritime reach |
Significance
- energy security
- gulf: 60% indian oil supply (Iran 22%, Saudi 18%)
- Economic & investment: West asia: vital market for infra, tech, construction
- diaspora: 9M indians
- Cultural linkage, cultural centers
- Strategic access: gateway to central asia
- security & stability: crucial for counter radicaliszation & maritime safety
India’s West Asia Policy
TODO
Key initiatives
- India UAE CEPA 2022
- Chabahar Port - Iran
- India Arab Cooperation Forum 2014
- Saudi investment in Indian firms
- India’s 2019 guest invite to OIC
Energy cooperation with West Asia
- LNG Security: 20yr deal w/ Qatar till 2048
- Strategic reserves: UAE’s ADNOC storing crude in india
- Renewables: Gulf funds India’s Green Hydrogen eg. Saudi PIF ReNew Power
- JV: refining projects: RRPCL w/ Aramco
- Maritime patrols eg. Op Sankalp
Differences to balance out
| Issue | Strategy |
|---|
| Israel vs Palestine | De hyphenation |
| Iran vs Saudi Arabia | Neturla stance; strategic ties w/ both shia & sunni bloc |
| US vs China | use platforms like IMEC, while protecting interests from BRI competition |
| Regional instability | secure energy routes, proactive diaspora protection, calibrated diplomatic ties |
Challenges
- limited trade share: ~15% of total trade in 2022
- Geopolitical volatility: balancing rivalries
- China’s presence: competing for influence via investments & infra
- political unrest: risk to investments & expats in Yemen, Syria, Iraq
- Terrorism: radical groups like ISIS, HTS
- Energy dependence
- Sectarian fault lines: shia sunni dynamics
Way forward
- boost trade: FTA with GCC, promote infra, tech partnership
- security collab: deepen defence, intelligence pacts
- sustainable development: expand I2U2, green energy, climate projects
- Cultural diplomacy: promote soft power via exchange, diaspora engagement
- balanced diplomacy: maintain neutrality in regional confilcts, engage all key players