Deepening the Ties

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014, few could have predicted the shift in India's foreign policy, particularly its strengthening relationships with the Muslim world. In the early days, Modi focused on regional policies like SAARC and the Act East policy, aiming to build stronger ties with the country’s immediate neighbours.

Modi as Prime Minister, first visited Maldives, then his unannounced visit to Pakistan and several frequent international trips, gave the opposition a stick branding him as the "globe-trotting Prime Minister" and questioning the utility of his extensive diplomacy.

A decade later, however, the results of those efforts are unquestionable. India's relationships, particularly with the Muslim world and West Asia, and to some extent with East Asia have strengthened beyond expectations.

The Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led government has steered the complex maze of relationships and emerged with deeper trust, expanded trade, and enhanced security cooperation with key Muslim-majority countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE who once were closer to Pakistan than India.

India's success story of deepening engagement with West Asia, particularly UAE, Saudi Arabia, or the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations continues to grow, Today, India stands as a key player in the region, not just economically but also strategically creating a multifaceted and resilient partnership with almost every Muslim country of the West Asia that matters.

The Evolution 

The groundwork for this transformation was laid during the tenure of Sushma Swaraj, who served as External Affairs Minister from 2014 to 2019 and his then deputy, M J Akbar and the present foreign minister then foreign secretary Dr S Jaishankar.  Swaraj’s diplomatic finesse came to the forefront when she became the first Indian foreign minister invited as a guest of honour at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), an institution that had previously taken a strong stance against India, particularly over Kashmir. Her participation marked the beginning of India’s deeper engagement with the Muslim world, signalling that New Delhi was no longer willing to be a bystander in this crucial geopolitical region.

In addition, PM Modi’s numerous visits to the Gulf laid the groundwork for this strategic shift. Modi even was decorated with the highest civilian awards in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain respectively. These visits were symbolic in moving India- West Asia relations from an economic focus to one that includes people-to-people, defence cooperation, infrastructure development, and diplomatic alignment on global issues.

To make my point here are a couple of the latest Case Studies of growing relationships:

India-UAE Relations

One of the recent examples is the growing engagement of India with the UAE has evolved into a multi-dimensional partnership. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan was in India on his maiden visit between September 8-10 where he met the President, Prime Minister and several top business leaders further gaining and expanding the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in various areas.

The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed between the two countries in 2022 was a landmark achievement, aiming to boost bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030. Beyond trade, however, India and the UAE have expanded their cooperation into areas like defence, space, and renewable energy. The new MoUs were signed on nuclear energy, critical minerals, green hydrogen, artificial intelligence, and cutting-edge technologies.

India has also worked closely with the UAE to improve the welfare of its diaspora, which numbers close to four million. The Indian expatriate community plays a vital role in both countries’ economies, and foreign remittance and India has consistently advocated for their rights and well-being. This has earned India goodwill from the UAE’s leadership. With both nations sharing a vision of economic diversification and technological advancement, the India-UAE relationship is poised to grow stronger in the coming years.

The India-GCC Strategic Dialogue: A New Milestone

The other example is the first-ever India-GCC Joint Ministerial Meeting for Strategic Dialogue, held in Riyadh from September 8-9, 2024. External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar co-chaired the meeting with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, who currently presides over the GCC Ministerial Council. This meeting marked the first time that foreign ministers from India and the six GCC nations (Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar) met at such a high level.

Dr Jaishankar’s visit to Riyadh was more than just symbolic, demonstrating the growing stature of India as a key partner for the Gulf nations through mutual recognition of the need to enhance cooperation in areas like energy, trade, investment, connectivity, and technology.

During the meeting, Jaishankar showcased the Indian community's role in the Gulf, which now numbers around nine million, making them the largest expatriate group in the region.

Jaishankar also stressed the importance of finalising a long-pending Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the GCC, which would further enhance economic integration between the two regions. Jaishankar explored new avenues of cooperation in renewable energy, education, healthcare, and space exploration. In defence, he called for increased exchanges, joint exercises, and industry collaboration, reflecting the growing strategic alignment between India and the Gulf nations.

The meeting concluded with the adoption of a Joint Action Plan for 2024-2028, which outlines specific areas of cooperation, including health, trade, security, agriculture, food security, transportation, and culture. As I write this article, India and Oman are going through a joint military exercise in Oman.

India - Saudi Arabia

While India’s relationship with the UAE has garnered much attention, its ties with Saudi Arabia have seen major growth. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to India was a watershed moment in India-Saudi relations, resulting in several key agreements on energy, infrastructure, and security cooperation. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to diversify its economy away from oil dependence, has created numerous opportunities for Indian businesses in sectors like renewable energy, technology, and infrastructure development.

India has also become an important partner for Saudi Arabia in defence cooperation. The two countries held their first joint military exercises in 2021, and defence ties have only grown stronger since. As Saudi Arabia is modernising its armed forces and reducing its reliance on Western military equipment, India has positioned itself as a key defence partner.

One of the recent developments in India-Saudi relations was the signing of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) Agreement on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023.

This ambitious infrastructure project, involving the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel, aims to create a trade and transportation corridor linking India with Europe via West Asia. While the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict has slowed progress, both India and the Gulf countries are committed to making the project a reality.

When India was chairing the G20 presidency in 2023, India invited three Gulf nations, the UAE, Oman, and Egypt as special guests, while Saudi Arabia, already a G20 member, played a big role. These interactions were more than representational gestures; they were testaments to the deepening strategic engagement between India and the Muslim world.

India – Brunei 

The Prime Minister was at the Istana Nurul Iman in Bandar Seri Begawan on September 4, elevating bilateral ties and Partnership. Modi was warmly greeted by the Sultan of Brunei, the first-ever bilateral visit by an Indian Head of Government to Brunei reflected India’s deep desire to boost bilateral ties further extending Look East policy and an important Muslim-dominated counter in East Asia.

India -Iran Relationship

India’s relationship with Iran remains stable. India early this year signed a long-term deal with Iran to develop the strategically important Chabahar port, close to Iran's border with Pakistan, India started its work in 2016 on this project.  India's then shipping minister called it a "historic moment in India-Iran ties". The move did not go down well with the US, which has imposed sanctions on Iranian-related entities over the past three years.

The port opened a transit route for Indian goods and products to Afghanistan and Central Asia, avoiding the land route through Pakistan.  Media reports suggest so far, 2.5 m tonnes of wheat and 2,000 tonnes of pulses have been shipped from India to Afghanistan through Chabahar port. The Indian Ports Global Limited (IPGL) and the Port & Maritime Organisation of Iran signed a long-term deal for the development of the port. Under the agreement, IPGL will invest about $120 million with an additional $250 million in financing, bringing the contract's value to $370 million. This deal has cleared the pathway for bigger investments to be made in the port and Iran.

India’s success in the Muslim world is a result of its balanced approach to the region’s complex geopolitics. New Delhi has managed to maintain good relations with both Israel and Iran, despite the tensions between the two nations. This balancing act is no small feat, given the deep-rooted Shia-Sunni divide and the rivalries between countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran.

India has consistently supported the Palestinian cause, calling for an independent and sovereign state of Palestine, even as it has deepened its strategic partnership with Israel. India’s participation in I2U2 (India, Israel, the UAE, and the U.S.) sometimes referred to as the West Asian Quad further highlights its ability to engage with multiple stakeholders in the region.

As the region continues to change, India’s role will undoubtedly become even more essential, making its relationship with the GCC and broader West Asia a defining feature of its foreign policy. The political shift has also been reinforced by cultural diplomacy and people-to-people connections.