INDIAN ENGAGEMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST: A Strategic Shift in a Transforming World
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Abstract
This research paper looks at India's changing relationship with the Middle East countries. It contends that India's policy toward the region has evolved from primarily transactional, energy- and diaspora-driven relations to a multifaceted strategic partnership encompassing energy security, trade and investment, defense and security cooperation, maritime collaboration, and diplomatic balancing among rival regional powers. Drawing on official Indian government publications, think-tank analyses, contemporaneous press reporting, and secondary literature, the paper maps India's bilateral trajectories with major Middle Eastern actors (the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran, Qatar, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in general), identifies strategic shift drivers, and provides a content analysis of policy instruments, outcomes, and contradictions. According to the study, India's Middle East posture through 2023 was characterized by pragmatic hedging: stronger security and defence ties with Israel and Gulf states, deep economic and investment ties with the UAE and Saudi Arabia, continued (if selective) engagement with Iran via Chabahar and energy links, and multifaceted diplomacy aimed at protecting energy supplies, remittance inflows, and strategic autonomy. The paper closes with policy recommendations for consolidating gains while managing competing regional tensions.
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References
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