How PM Modi's West Asia outreach is paying multiple dividends

A magnificent temple in Abu Dhabi and the unprecedented release of eight Indians on death row in Qatar underline that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s four-pronged outreach to West Asia is paying massive dividends. The first is the use of political capital and military force projection, which have transformed the relationship with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. India has set the tone through the Prime Minister’s personal rapport with the rulers and a pragmatic approach. That the BJP is a Hindu right-wing party, just as the Arab nations are conservative Islamic, yet the differences are frankly stated and appreciated by both sides. The Arab kingdoms and sheikdoms share India’s aversion to fundamental Islam. Now, this may come as a surprise to readers, but for West Asian countries, fundamental Islam poses a serious threat. In Islam, the king or ruler has no authority; all authority is vested with Allah, and it is this that the ISIS and other Islamists preach—and what the Gulf regimes fear. The transformation of the India-UAE ties, for example, on intelligence sharing with respect to Islamic terror, underlines how much this caravan has travelled from the time that Dawood Ibrahim and others led a lavish life in the Gulf. Indian military presence, particularly since the last decade, and the presence of its navy in the Persian Gulf are seen along with its diplomatic stance in the global context as a net security provider. This is a key development that underscores other Indian initiatives and makes India an indispensable Asian presence in the Gulf. This key factor of being a net security provider is not by accident. PM Modi has invested significant political capital to bring about the massive change from India being viewed as a source of cheap labor to a pivot of strategic stability. Since the UAE-India comprehensive strategic partnership started way back in 2020, PM Modi’s bilateral relations have elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership, encompassing cooperation in areas such as defence, security, trade, and investment. This was further enhanced on this latest visit by signing the bilateral investment treaty. Similarly, the Qatar-India economic partnership resulted in enhanced economic cooperation. During COVID-19, Modi’s personal intervention facilitated collaboration with the UAE and Qatar in repatriation efforts, medical assistance, and vaccine diplomacy. This demonstrated India’s commitment to regional solidarity and cooperation in times of crisis. The release of the eight ex-navy personnel underlines the second prong of the West Asia outreach. Personal rapport and concentrated effort at the summit level between the two countries. It is a major win for India, for it is unlikely that Qatar would have passed the death penalty and yet released the Indian navy personnel without intervention and negotiations at the very highest level. The third card that India has played is chequebook diplomacy. India is spending very much in West Asia. India, in February, even as eight Indians were still in jail, negotiated a successful contract that took away a floating rate charge and the shipping of gas charges with Abu Dhabi. This secures savings of $6 billion if oil remains above $80 per barrel. This is a significant deal where India will pay $78 billion for importing 7.5 million tonne of LNG until 2028. Similarly, with the UAE, India concluded a free trade agreement in 2022, which was path-breaking as it took 99 per cent of Indian exports to the UAE off duty. It also allows India to export a lot more to Africa and the Iberian Peninsula while allowing value-added exports by the UAE into India. As a result, bilateral trade between the UAE and India increased, even with the global slowdown in 2023, by 16 per cent to be worth $85 billion. Similarly, since 2020, the Qatar Investment Authority has invested $5 billion in Indian listed and unlisted firms such as Reliance Retail and Swiggy. Saudi Arabia, too, is getting active. India and Saudi Arabia agreed to set up a joint working group to channel the planned mammoth $100 billion in investments, including a giant oil refinery. The fourth prong of PM Modi’s outreach is people-to-people contact. There are 800,00 Indians in Qatar and 3.5 million in the UAE, while Saudi Arabia has 2 million. These are huge numbers, and it is important to realise that with Indian-origin CEOs running global firms like Microsoft and Google, the White-only CEO norm in the gulf is looking a little ridiculous. India has concerns about the wages and working conditions of many of its expats, and these have been part of the negotiations during the recent visits as well. India is looking at enhanced dignity and respect, especially for its labour force in the Gulf. The symbolism of the grand temple in Abu Dhabi and an unveiled Smriti Irani in Madinah underline the influence of India in West Asia as a force for good. It is time for the two countries to bridge the gulf and sail in the direction of prosperity. The India-West Asia relationship is likely to reach far greater heights. India, as the growth and alternative energy outpost in a slowing world economy, attracts the Gulf countries. Do not be surprised if you hear of an Indian military base in the UAE soon. The writer is a senior journalist with expertise in defence. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. 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