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India’s West Asia Policy: Strategic Realignments and Promising Areas of Cooperation
India’s West Asia Policy: Exploring New Frontiers of Cooperation and Growth
Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s abrupt return from Riyadh after the Pahalgam terror attack symbolised the fusion of foreign policy assertiveness with national security imperatives. The visit was originally designed to reflect the transformation of India’s Middle East doctrine—but it became a moment of strategic recalibration and resilience. The incident demonstrated India’s willingness to disrupt diplomacy in response to terror, and marked a shift from quiet restraint to calibrated consequence.
India’s West Asia Policy: Recent Realignments and Key Areas of Cooperation
- From Remittances to Realignment
- India’s West Asia policy has shifted from being remittance-driven and culturally bound to a strategically designed framework based on mutual long-term interests.
- The transformation is marked by multi-sectoral engagements such as:
- Strategic dialogues
- Joint defence platforms
- Digital collaboration
- Investment flows
- Institutional Mechanisms and Sectoral Cooperation
Saudi Vision 2030 and India’s Role
- Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 aims for economic diversification and geopolitical modernisation.
- India is viewed not just as a buyer of oil, but as a civilisational power and strategic partner aligned in ambition.
- This aligns with India’s extended neighbourhood strategy, positioning West Asia as integral to India’s rise as a global actor.
- The Strategic Partnership Council institutionalises bilateral engagement, ensuring sustained cooperation.
- Frequent visits by top leadership reflect the depth, continuity, and velocity of ties.
- Key areas of cooperation now include:
- Defence manufacturing
- Renewable energy
- Fintech and digital infrastructure
- Food security and resilient supply chains
The Delhi–Riyadh Axis: Significance and Strategic Impact
- From Bilateralism to Regional Strategy
- The Delhi–Riyadh axis represents a fundamental realignment in West Asian geopolitics.
- India’s outreach is not cosmetic, but architectural—intended to construct a new order of regional stability and economic interdependence.
- India as a Central Actor
- Through initiatives like:
- I2U2 (India–Israel–UAE–USA)
- IMEC (India–Middle East–Europe Corridor)
India has repositioned itself as a central node in West Asian and global geopolitics.
- India is now seen as:
- Secular and stable
- Technologically advanced
- A partner capable of long-term commitments
- Through initiatives like:
- Geopolitical Shift: A New Fraternity
- Unlike past attacks, the Pahalgam massacre drew swift and clear condemnation from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, signalling a new solidarity against extremism.
- This reflects a geopolitical shift in the Muslim world, where shared interests trump religious or ideological hesitation.
- A new fraternity based on common goals—peace, modernisation, and anti-terror cooperation—is emerging.
- Hydraulic Statecraft and Strategic Messaging
- The Indus Waters Treaty placed in abeyance is not just a legal tool but a diplomatic lever, connecting treaty adherence with behaviour on terrorism.
- Projects like Kishanganga and Ratle are now viewed as part of India’s hydraulic statecraft, reinforcing the strategic dimension of resource diplomacy.
- A New Diplomatic Doctrine
- India is forging a doctrine based on:
- Clarity over caution
- Deterrence without undermining diplomacy
- Linking terrorism to treaties and violence to consequence
- The prime minister’s early return thus symbolised a reset, not a retreat—India’s diplomacy is now backed by will, not just words.
- India is forging a doctrine based on:
Conclusion
- The Delhi–Riyadh axis is no longer a diplomatic outpost—it is a strategic centrepiece in India’s West Asia policy.
- The axis stretches from Mumbai to Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Brussels, and Washington—embedding India deeper into global networks of influence.
- As India faces a multipolar and volatile world, its Middle East engagement reflects:
- Strategic resilience
- Post-ideological pragmatism
- Calibrated and consequence-oriented diplomacy
- The Pahalgam tragedy, while aimed at disruption, ended up strengthening India’s resolve—marking the end of quiet restraint and the rise of strategic consequence.
- India is not just reacting—it is leading, shaping the rules of engagement in a new global order.
