Year: 2020
Type: article
Abstract: Reasons behind the growing synergies with the middle-east countriesThere are so many reasons behind India's growing synergies with Middle-east countries which are as follows-A.Strategically, the Persian Gulf is a very important zone.Considering India's maritime security Strait of Hormuz is very important.It is situated between Persian and Gulf regions.B. India is very reliant upon Middle East oil and gas and must maintain cordial relations with most of the major suppliers, including Iran, UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, as well as Iraq.While these states must sell their oil and gas somewhere, and India is a good customer, Delhi does not want to be vulnerable to a temporary cut-off or an increase in prices.C. Pakistan is very active in Middle-east.Using the platform of OIC and making connections with the particular Arab countries Pakistan is trying to get support on Kashmir issue.Thus, conducting sophisticated balance-of-power diplomacy, India is trying to counter Pakistani influence in the Gulf region.D. Israel has been very important to India due to technical, intelligence, and military support.Looking at American continues support to Israel India has been linked with Israel in the post-Cold War period.Now, Israel has been one of the major military equipment providers in India and also an important trading partner.E. American direct involvement in Middle-east politics is very difficult for India's counter-balance mechanism in Middleeast and also problematic for implementing its autonomous foreign policy in Middle-east.On the one side India's growing synergies with Israel, on the other hand, Israel's contentious attacks on Palestine.This is not only problematic for India in Middle-eastern diplomacy but also for internal politics.India's Muslims hold a soft-corner towards Palestine.To make a balance between Israel and Palestine is a very tuff job for India.F. New Delhi must consciously calculate the balance between its relations with Tel Aviv and Tehran also.To the USA Iran is a 'rogue state'.The key allegation against Iran is it manufactures illegal nuclear weapons.But, no evidence has in the hand of the USA to date.The USA imposed sanctions on Iran and forced India to discontinue its relations on Iran.Iran is the major fuel supplier courtiers of India, especially natural gas.How should India deal with Iran -this is a very crucial question.G. Trade with the GCC countries was $5.5 billion in 2001, has grown to $137.7 billion in 2014-15.However, the trading relations between India and the Middle-eastern states are very impressive.India's energy supply is immensely depending upon the Middle-east.H. Middle-east has been the hub of international terrorism.The fatal terrorist attacks are conducting by Al Qaida and ISI in Iraq, Syria, Jordon, Yemen and other places.Several numbers of cities have been destroyed and thousands of casualties
Author: Debasish Nandy
Institution: Kazi Nazrul University
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4232834622