India Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi: An Evolving West Asia Strategy Amid Shifting Geopolitical Tides
India has centuries of historical, cultural and trade ties with the West Asian region and established formal diplomatic relations with all countries in the region decades ago
But an official West Asia policy was formulated only under the Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government The policy sought to establish enduring relations with the region, especially the Gulf countries which have been the most important source of India’s energy supplies
The Gulf states also support over 8 million Indian diaspora members, who in turn send billions in remittances back home annually
India’s “Connect West Asia Policy” under Singh featured a strong affinity with the Palestinian cause which was inherited from India’s own freedom struggle against British colonialism
Due to this synergy between domestic and foreign policy imperatives, the policy was generally successful and relations with the Gulf countries were extended across several areas of cooperation. At the same time, India’s support and commitment to the Palestinian issue was further strengthened
However India’s policy toward the region has gone through a radical transformation since 2014 when Modi became prime minister for the first time
The engagement between India and the West Asian region has since moved beyond the traditionally dominant spheres of trade, energy, and diaspora ties
Modi’s “Think West” policy has emphasized cooperation in the fields of defense and security, building strategic partnerships and exploring several new areas of cooperation
India’s cooperation with the Arab Gulf countries, in particular, has been deepened and diversified which in turn led to huge amounts of investment in India by some of these countries and the signing of a historical trade deal between India and the United Arab Emirates while negotiations for an India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) trade deal might catch up soon
The West Asia policy under Modi is arguably the most successful aspect of his diplomatic endeavors
Still, the most significant aspect of the policy has been the deepening and strengthening of relations with Israel
There has also been a tectonic shift in the public perception about Israel under Modi’s leadership Indians no longer sympathize or identify only with the Palestinian struggle for liberation. In fact, many people in India today don’t see Israel at fault or view its occupation of Palestine as illegal
