22 March 2026, NIICE Commentary 12378
Arash Amini
India’s Renewed Engagement with West Asia
West Asia has emerged as a critical theatre in India’s evolving foreign policy, reflecting a shift from ideological engagement to pragmatic strategic recalibration. Historically shaped by non-alignment, support for the Palestinian cause, and functional ties focused on energy security and diaspora welfare, India’s regional policy has transformed in response to changing geopolitical realities and its growing global ambitions. Today, West Asia holds a central position in India’s external strategy, given its importance for energy supplies, trade, maritime security, and connectivity initiatives.
India’s expanding partnerships with Gulf states, deepening strategic cooperation with Israel, and continued engagement with Iran illustrate a deliberate effort to balance competing interests while preserving strategic autonomy. Rather than abandoning earlier principles, India’s renewed focus reflects a pragmatic recalibration grounded in realism, multipolar diplomacy, and aspirations for middle-power influence in a fragmented international order.
Historical Context: India–West Asia Relations before the Pivot
For much of the post-independence period, India’s engagement with West Asia was shaped by ideological commitments and structural limitations. Guided by non-alignment, New Delhi emphasized political solidarity with Arab states, strong support for Palestine, and avoidance of deep security entanglements. Limited economic and military capabilities during the Cold War further constrained India’s regional role.
Energy security and labor migration became the primary pillars of engagement. The Gulf region emerged as a major supplier of oil and gas, while millions of Indian workers migrated to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, generating substantial remittances. However, strategic cooperation remained limited, and India avoided actions that could disrupt relations with competing actors such as Iran, Israel, and Arab states. This cautious, compartmentalized approach ensured stability but limited India’s regional influence, highlighting the need for a more adaptive policy as global and regional dynamics evolved.
Drivers of India’s Westward Turn
India’s renewed focus on West Asia stems from interconnected economic, strategic, and geopolitical imperatives. Energy security remains paramount: despite diversification, the region supplies a large share of India’s oil and gas imports, making stability there a core national interest. Long-term partnerships with Gulf producers, therefore, form a cornerstone of India’s economic strategy.
The Indian diaspora is equally significant. By early 2025, approximately 9.9 million Indians lived and worked in GCC countries, sending billions in remittances and strengthening trade and cultural links. Protecting the welfare of the diaspora has strengthened political trust and institutional cooperation with regional governments.
Strategically, India’s westward turn reflects its pursuit of autonomy in a multipolar world. Rather than entering formal alliances, New Delhi seeks diversified partnerships that allow engagement with multiple actors simultaneously. Regional instability, maritime insecurity in the Red Sea and Gulf, and threats from terrorism have also underscored the need for closer security cooperation. Together, these drivers have produced a more assertive, pragmatic, and multidimensional policy toward West Asia.
Key Pillars of Engagement: India’s New West Asia Strategy
India’s recalibrated approach rests on several interlinked strategic pillars emphasizing diversification and pragmatic cooperation. A central component is expanding engagement with GCC states - especially the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Relations have evolved from transactional energy ties to comprehensive partnerships covering defense, counterterrorism, trade, and investment. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the UAE in 2022 marked a major milestone, institutionalizing long-term economic integration.
Another pillar is the deepening partnership with Israel. Following the “de-hyphenation” of India’s Israel–Palestine policy, cooperation has expanded in defense technology, intelligence, agriculture, and innovation. This reflects India’s willingness to pursue issue-based partnerships while maintaining diplomatic support for Palestine.
Simultaneously, India has preserved relations with Iran despite U.S. sanctions. Cooperation on the Chabahar Port project provides strategic access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, enhancing India’s connectivity and regional influence. These differentiated relationships demonstrate a flexible, interest-driven strategy aimed at balancing rival actors without formal alignment.
Connectivity and Emerging Frameworks: IMEC and Beyond
Connectivity initiatives have become a defining feature of India’s engagement with West Asia, reflecting ambitions to shape regional economic architecture. The India-Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), announced at the 2023 G20 Summit, aims to link India with West Asia and Europe through integrated transport, digital networks, and energy infrastructure.
By partnering with key regional actors such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Israel, India seeks to enhance trade efficiency while positioning itself as a key node in global supply chains. IMEC also carries geopolitical significance as a potential alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, emphasizing transparency and rules-based cooperation.
Despite challenges - including instability, financing constraints, and coordination difficulties - connectivity initiatives signal a shift from passive participation to agenda-setting diplomacy. By integrating infrastructure, trade, and strategic partnerships, India strengthens its long-term presence in West Asia and reinforces its identity as a pragmatic middle power.
Institutionalizing India’s Westward Turn: Recent Partnership Agreements
Recent agreements demonstrate how India is translating strategy into institutionalized economic engagement. In December 2025, India signed a CEPA with Oman, granting near-zero-duty access for most exports, expanding services trade, and strengthening defense and maritime cooperation, including access to Duqm port. This agreement broadens relations beyond hydrocarbons into sectors such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, and automobiles.
India also concluded a Bilateral Investment Treaty with the UAE in October 2024 to enhance investor protection and promote mutual capital flows. Additionally, in May 2024, India secured a ten-year operational contract for the Shahid Beheshti Terminal at Iran’s Chabahar Port, significantly enhancing connectivity to Central Asia.
Collectively, these agreements reflect a shift from energy-centric ties to comprehensive economic integration, combining trade liberalization, investment protection, and infrastructure development. This multidimensional approach strengthens India’s role in regional connectivity and security frameworks while expanding its economic influence.
Challenges and Constraints
Despite progress, significant challenges persist. Regional instability - including conflicts in Gaza, Yemen, and the broader Red Sea region - creates uncertainty for energy supplies, trade routes, and diaspora safety.
Managing competing interests is another major difficulty. India must balance relations among rivals such as Iran and Saudi Arabia while maintaining close ties with Israel and the GCC states. This requires careful diplomacy to preserve trust without compromising strategic autonomy.
Economic and logistical obstacles also affect large connectivity projects like IMEC, which demand substantial financing, coordination, and long implementation timelines. Moreover, continued dependence on West Asian energy exposes India to price volatility and supply disruptions. Addressing these constraints will be crucial for sustaining India’s long-term influence in the region.
Strategic Implications and Future Trajectory
India’s renewed engagement with West Asia reflects a deliberate, pragmatic strategy combining economic, diplomatic, and security dimensions while preserving strategic autonomy. Through strengthened ties with Gulf states, expanded cooperation with Israel, and sustained engagement with Iran, India has navigated complex regional rivalries and global power shifts.
Connectivity initiatives such as IMEC highlight India’s ambition to shape regional economic structures and global supply chains. Although instability, competing interests, and energy dependence remain significant challenges, India’s approach demonstrates an interest-driven foreign policy grounded in realism and long-term planning.
By integrating diplomacy, trade, and strategic cooperation, India positions itself as a credible middle power capable of influencing outcomes in West Asia without formal alliances. As its global profile rises, sustained engagement with the region will remain central to India’s broader geopolitical strategy and its vision of a stable multipolar order.
Arash Amini is a PhD candidate in Political Science at the American University in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
