India and West Asia Notes for UPSC

West Asia, also called the Middle East, lies at the crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe, and it has been important to India for thousands of years through trade, culture and religion. Today it is vital for India's energy supply, trade, the livelihood of millions of Indians who live and work there, and the security of the Indian Ocean region. For the UPSC Civil Services Examination, India and West Asia is a frequent topic of GS Paper 2: Prelims asks about groupings, corridors and agreements, and Mains asks about India's balancing policy between Gulf countries, Israel and Iran. This note explains why West Asia matters, India's policy, relations with key countries, the major initiatives and the challenges in simple language.

Why West Asia Matters to India

Evolution of India's Policy

India has always followed a balanced approach to the region. It supported the Palestinian cause and recognised Palestine in 1988, but it also established full diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992. In the 1990s, India followed the "Look West" policy to engage with the Gulf, and from around 2014, it adopted the "Think West" approach, with a more active and strategic role. India's policy has three features: multi-alignment (good ties with rivals such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, or the Gulf states and Israel at the same time), de-hyphenation (treating relations with Israel and Palestine separately), and a focus on economic and security interests instead of ideological positions.

Relations with Key Countries

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The UAE is India's third-largest trading partner and one of its closest friends in the region. The two signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in 2022, one of the fastest trade agreements negotiated by India. They cooperate on energy (the UAE stored oil under India's strategic petroleum reserve), investment, food parks, space and defence. Trade in local currencies (rupee and dirham) has begun. The UAE has hosted a large Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi (inaugurated in 2024), and the large Indian community is the biggest expatriate group in the country. India and the UAE are partners in I2U2 and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is a major supplier of crude oil and LPG and home to millions of Indian workers, including the pilgrims who visit Mecca for Hajj. The two countries set up a Strategic Partnership Council in 2019. Saudi investment in India's refineries, energy and infrastructure is growing, and the country has taken steps to become a partner in new groups and corridors. Saudi Arabia is also a key player in OPEC and in the Islamic world.

Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain

Qatar is the largest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to India under long-term contracts. Oman gives India access to the port of Duqm for the Indian Navy and is an old friend, with historic maritime links. Kuwait and Bahrain have large Indian communities and growing trade. India has also launched negotiations for a free trade agreement with the GCC.

Israel

After 1992, relations grew in defence, agriculture, water management and technology. Israel is a major supplier of defence equipment, such as drones, radars and missile systems, and it supported India during the Kargil war in 1999. Prime Minister Modi's visit in 2017 was the first by an Indian Prime Minister, and the ties were raised to a strategic partnership. Cooperation includes the Centres of Excellence in agriculture, the use of drip irrigation, desalination and start-ups. India condemned the terror attack by Hamas on 7 October 2023, and has also called for restraint, humanitarian aid for Gaza and a two-state solution, with a sovereign and viable Palestinian state living side by side with Israel in peace. India has continued to give aid to the Palestinians.

Iran

Iran is important for India as a neighbour of Afghanistan and Pakistan, a source of energy, and a link to Central Asia. India has developed the Chabahar Port in south-east Iran (the Shahid Beheshti terminal) to bypass Pakistan and reach Afghanistan and Central Asia, and it is part of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), linking India with Russia and Europe through Iran. However, American sanctions on Iran reduced India's oil imports and affected the project, and the tension between Iran and Israel and the USA creates a delicate situation for India's diplomacy.

Major Initiatives and Groupings

• I2U2: a grouping of India, Israel, the UAE and the USA (2022), for cooperation in food security, water, energy, transport, space and health.
• India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC): announced at the G20 Summit in New Delhi (2023); a network of railways and shipping routes from India to Europe via the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel; seen as an alternative to China's Belt and Road.
• International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC): multi-modal route from Mumbai to Bandar Abbas (Iran), then through Central Asia and Russia.
• India-GCC FTA talks, CEPA with the UAE and the use of local currency settlement.
• Strategic petroleum reserves: oil stored in India with the help of the UAE and others.
• Evacuation operations: India has rescued its citizens in crises, such as Operation Raahat (Yemen, 2015) and the evacuation operations during conflicts in the region in recent years.

Challenges

The region is unstable. The Israel-Palestine conflict and the war in Gaza, the Iran-Israel tensions, the civil wars in Syria and Yemen, the attacks on shipping in the Red Sea by the Houthis, and the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran create risks for energy supplies, shipping costs and the safety of the Indian diaspora. Other challenges include the dependence on imported energy, the influence of Pakistan and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the role of China (which brokered the Saudi-Iran agreement in 2023 and invests in the region), the labour issues such as the Kafala system and the rights of migrant workers, and the need to diversify trade beyond oil.

Way Forward

India should continue its balanced and pragmatic approach, avoid taking sides in the regional rivalries, and keep dialogue open with all. It should deepen energy cooperation, which includes long-term contracts and renewable energy and green hydrogen partnerships; complete the CEPA and FTAs; advance IMEC and Chabahar; strengthen maritime security in the Indian Ocean; protect the welfare and skills of its workers through agreements and training; and increase defence and technology cooperation. India's growing economy and its large diaspora, along with its non-ideological outlook, make it a trusted partner for most West Asian countries.

Cultural and Historical Links

India's ties with West Asia are as old as civilisation. The Indus Valley cities traded with Mesopotamia, Arab traders brought spices and horses to the Malabar coast long before Islam, and Islam reached Kerala through peaceful trade in the 7th century. The Indian rupee circulated in the Gulf until the 1960s, and words like "bazaar", "kebab" and "chai" show a long exchange of food and language. Jewish and Christian communities settled in India (the Cochin Jews and the Syrian Christians), and the Parsis came from Iran. Yoga, Ayurveda, Bollywood and Indian cuisine are popular in the Gulf. This shared heritage provides a base of goodwill, and the government now uses cultural diplomacy, for instance through the temple in Abu Dhabi, the International Yoga Day events and Indian cultural centres, to strengthen people-to-people ties.

Quick Revision

• Policy: Look West to Think West; multi-alignment and de-hyphenation; relations with Israel since 1992.
• UAE: CEPA (2022); I2U2: India, Israel, UAE, USA; IMEC announced at the G20 (2023).
• Chabahar and INSTC link India to Central Asia; Qatar is the main LNG supplier; Oman has Duqm port access.
• About nine million Indians live in the Gulf; the region supplies a major share of India's oil.

India's West Asia policy is a good example of balancing many interests. Learn the key countries, corridors and groupings in tables, and prepare an answer that combines energy, diaspora, connectivity and security.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why is West Asia important for India?

West Asia is important for India’s energy supplies, trade, the large Indian diaspora and remittances, connectivity and the security of sea lanes.

What is India’s Think West policy?

Think West is India’s more proactive policy of engaging with West Asia and the Gulf region on trade, energy, security and diaspora issues.

When did India establish diplomatic relations with Israel?

India established full diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992.

What is India’s stand on the Israel-Palestine issue?

India supports a two-state solution with a sovereign, independent and viable Palestine living peacefully with Israel, while engaging with both sides separately.

What is I2U2?

I2U2 is a grouping of India, Israel, the UAE and the USA formed in 2022 to cooperate on areas such as food security, water, energy, space and health.

What is the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor?

IMEC is a planned corridor of railways and shipping lines connecting India with Europe via the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel, announced at the G20 Summit in 2023.

What is the Chabahar Port?

Chabahar is a port in Iran developed with Indian support that gives India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan.

What is INSTC?

The International North-South Transport Corridor is a multi-modal trade route linking India with Iran, Central Asia, Russia and Europe.

What is the India-UAE CEPA?

The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, signed in 2022, is a free trade agreement between India and the UAE to boost trade and investment.

Which country is the largest LNG supplier to India from the Gulf?

Qatar is the largest supplier of liquefied natural gas to India under long-term contracts.

How many Indians live in the Gulf region?

About nine million Indians live and work in the Gulf countries, and they send large remittances to India.

What are the main challenges in India-West Asia relations?

The main challenges are regional conflicts, tensions between Iran and Israel and Gulf states, energy dependence, the rights of migrant workers and the role of other powers such as China.