West Asia — Definition
Definition
India's West Asia policy represents one of the most complex diplomatic balancing acts in contemporary international relations. West Asia, also known as the Middle East, encompasses countries from Turkey and Iran in the north to Yemen and Oman in the south, including the crucial Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations.
For India, this region is not just geographically proximate but strategically vital for multiple reasons. First, energy security forms the cornerstone - India imports nearly 85% of its crude oil requirements, with over 60% coming from West Asian countries including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, UAE, and Kuwait.
This dependency makes stable relations with these nations a national security imperative. Second, the region hosts over 8.5 million Indian expatriates, making it the largest concentration of overseas Indians globally.
These diaspora communities contribute over $40 billion annually in remittances, making them crucial economic stakeholders. Third, West Asia serves as a critical transit route for India's trade with Europe and Africa, with the Suez Canal handling nearly 12% of global trade.
The strategic waterways including the Strait of Hormuz, through which 21% of global petroleum liquids pass, directly impact India's energy security. India's approach to West Asia has evolved from the idealistic non-alignment of the Nehru era to the pragmatic multi-alignment of the 21st century.
During the Cold War, India's support for Palestinian cause and close ties with Arab nations often strained relations with Israel. However, post-1991 economic liberalization and the end of Cold War enabled India to pursue a more nuanced approach.
The establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992 marked a watershed moment, allowing India to simultaneously engage with both Israel and Arab nations. This policy of 'de-hyphenation' - treating relationships with different countries independently rather than as zero-sum games - has become a hallmark of India's West Asia strategy.
The region's significance extends beyond economics to security cooperation. West Asia has been a focal point of global terrorism, and India's experience with cross-border terrorism has created natural convergences with regional partners in counter-terrorism efforts.
The Abraham Accords of 2020, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations, have created new opportunities for India to expand its engagement through multilateral frameworks like the I2U2 partnership with Israel, UAE, and the United States.