West Asia, commonly referred to as the Middle East, is of strategic significance to India due to historical, economic, and geopolitical reasons. Home to some of the world’s largest energy reserves and a large Indian diaspora, the region plays a vital role in India’s energy security, trade, and foreign policy. India’s approach to the West Asian situation is characterised by strategic autonomy, non-interventionism, and multi-alignment diplomacy aimed at balancing relationships with diverse and often rival regional powers.
1. Strategic Importance of West Asia for India
(a) Energy Security
- West Asia supplies more than 60% of India’s crude oil and natural gas requirements.
- Key suppliers include Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE, Iran, and Kuwait.
- Energy security concerns drive India’s cautious engagement with the region, especially during periods of instability.
(b) Indian Diaspora
- Over 9 million Indians reside in West Asia, particularly in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
- The diaspora significantly contributes to India’s economy through remittances, valued at over $40 billion annually.
(c) Trade and Investment
- India’s bilateral trade with the Gulf countries exceeds $160 billion, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia being top partners.
- The India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed in 2022 exemplifies India’s deeper economic integration with the region.
2. India’s Foreign Policy Approach
India’s response to the volatile West Asian situation is guided by pragmatism and neutrality, maintaining cordial ties with conflicting actors.
(a) Balanced Diplomacy
- India sustains strong relations with Israel, a key defence partner, and simultaneously maintains close economic and cultural ties with Palestine and Arab countries.
- Despite political differences among nations like Saudi Arabia and Iran or Israel and Palestine, India pursues issue-based partnerships, reflecting its strategic autonomy.
Vocabulary Tip: Strategic autonomy refers to a nation’s ability to pursue its national interests and make foreign policy decisions independently of external pressures.
(b) Neutrality in Conflicts
- India has consistently adopted a non-interventionist stance in regional conflicts, including the Yemen crisis, Syrian civil war, and Iran–US tensions.
- It supports peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy, aligning with UN-led peace efforts.
3. Key Areas of Engagement
(a) Defence and Security Cooperation
- Defence cooperation is growing, especially with Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Israel is among India’s top defence suppliers.
- India conducts joint military exercises, counter-terrorism cooperation, and strategic dialogues with various West Asian countries.
(b) Counter-terrorism
- India shares concerns with West Asian nations about the threat of radicalism and terrorism.
- Collaborative efforts include intelligence sharing, capacity-building, and controlling terror financing.
(c) Evacuation and Humanitarian Operations
- India has a proven record of evacuating its citizens from conflict zones in West Asia.
- Operation Rahat (2015) evacuated thousands of Indians and foreign nationals from war-torn Yemen.
- India also provided humanitarian aid during the Lebanese crisis and Syrian refugee emergencies.
4. Challenges and Constraints
(a) Geopolitical Rivalries
- Balancing ties between rivals such as Iran and Saudi Arabia, or Israel and Palestine, remains a delicate task.
- India’s growing proximity to Israel and the US has occasionally led to diplomatic challenges with Iran, especially concerning the Chabahar Port Project and oil imports affected by US sanctions.
(b) Volatile Regional Security
- The instability caused by civil wars, terrorism, and sectarian conflicts can impact Indian workers, oil imports, and trade routes.
- Rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea shipping lanes are direct threats to India’s energy security.
(c) Religious and Cultural Sensitivities
- As a secular democracy with a large Muslim population, India is cautious in responding to religious issues that may be viewed through a sectarian lens in West Asia.
5. Recent Developments
- India has welcomed the Abraham Accords (2020), which normalised ties between Israel and some Arab countries. This creates new trilateral cooperation opportunities for India in technology, defence, and infrastructure.
- India is also part of the I2U2 Group (India, Israel, UAE, US), focusing on economic cooperation in food security, energy, and tech innovation.
- In the post-COVID-19 context, India is engaging in vaccine diplomacy and medical cooperation with Gulf nations.
Conclusion
India’s response to the West Asian situation is rooted in a realist yet principled approach. It maintains a multi-aligned foreign policy balancing rival interests while advancing its own national priorities — energy security, diaspora welfare, trade expansion, and regional stability. As geopolitical dynamics in West Asia evolve, India’s ability to engage all major actors without alienating any will remain a key test of its diplomatic agility and strategic foresight.