India’s new idiom for ties with West Asia

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s historic visits to Jordan and Oman in 2018 constituted a significant inflection point in India’s West Asia policy.

- Shehzad Poonawalla is national spokesperson, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Vijeta Rattani writes on international development and sustainability issues.

Ither-aldeda deeper engagement with West Asia that has since reshaped India’s foreign policy landscape. Though India’s West Asia outreach is celebrated as a diplomatic success, the real test was always about sustaining momentum, converting State visits into lasting gains, securing diaspora acceptance, and building credibility.Modi 3.0is doing just that. By blending economic pragmatism, geopolitical risk management, and civilisational diplomacy, India is firmly establishing a sustained and pivotal presence in West Asia — reaffirmed in the December 15-16 visits of the PM to Oman and Jordan.

For decades, India's ties with West Asia were defined by oil imports and diaspora remittances. Engagement with Israel was cautious, driven by domestic political sensitivities and the Palestinian question, while Gulf relations were transactional. Prime ministerial visits were rare. Modi’s “Link West” outlook decisively broke this complacency, placing West Asia at the centre of India’s strategic vision.

Sustained visits followed: Saudi Arabia after 40 years, UAE after 34, and Iran after 15. Further, reciprocal visits to India and invitations of the UAE, Egypt and Oman to the G-20 Summit in 2023 underscored New Delhi's bid to anchor itself as a decisive voice in the Global South.