Implications for Sri Lanka and South Asia from the Middle East crisis

AS former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger once observed, “The Middle East remains the world’s most important geopolitical fault line because it sits at the heart of global energy flows.”

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Fire in a berth in Dubai's busy Jebel Ali port

The escalating turbulence across the region is a stark reminder of how quickly local conflicts can send shockwaves across the globe. Nowhere is this more evident than in South Asia-a region deeply intertwined with the Middle East through labour migration, remittances, energy dependence, tourism, and financial linkages. For decades, South Asian economies have been closely integrated with the Gulf and the broader Middle Eastern economic ecosystem. As tensions mount, governments across South Asia must reassess their economic and strategic exposure and carefully consider how best to navigate the emerging challenges that can last for a long time.

South Asia