Middle Eastern foreign policy of the Narendra Modi government

Last updated

The Middle East region plays a vital role in India's economy as it supplies nearly two-thirds of India's total oil import, bilateral trade is also flourishing in recent years particularly with UAE and other Arab states of the Persian Gulf. Over the years, millions of Indians mostly working class have migrated to the Persian Gulf region looking for jobs [1] and they account for a sizeable share in the total remittances received from abroad. [2] [3] Indian External Affairs Ministry refers the region as West Asia and not as Middle East which is a more popular attribution, particularly in the Western countries. [4]

Contents

In an attempt to strengthen ties with India's western neighbours, especially the Persian Gulf countries, Modi proposed this policy to complement his Act East policy concerning East Asia. Although it is called "Link West" (west of India) which gives it a bigger geographical connotation, it is most likely to focus on the middle-east and some of the India's strategic thinkers are calling it as Modi's middle-east policy. [5]

Bahrain

Swaraj choose Manama, Bahrain for her first visit to the Persian Gulf. The visit marked the first high level exchange from Modi govt to any Arab states following apprehension of less priority given to the Indo-Arab relation under Modi administration. The island country with a significant population of Indian origin people has extensive trade and business ties with India. There addressing at a business meet the minister reiterated "Our government is firmly committed to bring back growth, have clear policies which will facilitate business environment, transparency and speed, well thought out decisions". [6] In order to boost maritime cooperation with the Persian Gulf countries India sent ICGS Vijit, a Vishwast class offshore patrol vessel, to a 4 nations friendly visit including Bahrain in late December 2014. [7]

Iraq

Iraqi Kurdistan

Prior to the Modi administration, there had been limited diplomatic relations between India and Iraqi Kurdistan. India purchases Kurdish crude oil sold through Turkish companies. Several Indian citizens work in Iraqi Kurdistan. Many Kurds travel to India for educational or medical purposes. In July 2014, Hemin Hawrani, head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party's international relations wing, told The Hindu that he hoped for deeper political and economic ties with India, describing the country as "an important partner". Hawrani also expressed his desire to see the Indian government open a consulate in Erbil, and invited Indian companies to invest in Kurdistan. [8] In November 2014, the Indian government sent special envoy Ambassador Suresh K. Reddy to visit Kurdistan and meet Kurdish government officials. Reddy stated that India "fully supports the Kurdistan Region during this difficult time", and expressed confidence in the Kurdish government and the Peshmerga forces to preserve the stability and security of the region. The Ambassador also praised the role of Peshmerga forces in fighting ISIL, and announced that the Indian government would open a consulate in Kurdistan. [9]

Israel

Israel is one of India's most important strategic partner and major source of its military hardware. Relation is expected to flourish with Modi government as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is known for its pro-Israeli stands and in favor of strengthening ties with Israel. Sushma Swaraj, who was chairperson of the 'India-Israel parliamentary friendship group', visited Israel earlier and called Israel a reliable partner besides expressing her admiration for former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir. [10]

In September 2014, Modi met his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu in the first interaction between the premiers of the two countries in 11 years with the leader of the Jewish state saying, "Sky is the limit." for bilateral relations. [11] Later on India has decided to buy Israeli anti-tank Spike missile instead of Javelin missile offered by the US which signifies the depth of Israel-India bilateral relation specially with BJP government in New Delhi. The contract is expected to be worth $525 million, with this Israel is India's second largest arm supplier after Russia. [12]

Home Minister Rajnath Singh became the first Minister of Modi govt to visit Israel. His trip featured a series of high level meetings with top Israeli leadership including Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon, National Security Adviser Yossi Cohenand, Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich and the Prime Minister following which Netanyahu said that Indians and Israelis share the combination of ingenuity and continuity. It was the first visit of an Indian Home Minister to Israel since June 2000 when L K Advani visited Jerusalem, marking an upsurge in bilateral cooperation. [13] On the same day Modi met former Israeli President and Nobel laureate Shimon Peres in New Delhi. In the meeting Modi informed Peres about his strong desire to further expand and strengthen India's relations with Israel, both in traditional areas as well as in new areas of cooperation. [14] [15]

2014 Israel-Hamas conflict

At the height of the tension between Israel and Hamas in July India offered a rhetorical condemnation holding both sides responsible for erupting violence and asked Israel to "stop disproportionate use of force" in Gaza which was read by many as departure from tradition of more vocal supports for the Palestinian cause. External Affairs Minister Swaraj insisted that "there is absolutely no change in India's policy towards Palestine, which is that we fully support the Palestinian cause while maintaining good relations with Israel", clarifying India's current position on the issue. That might sound like fence-sitting, but it's a policy shared by all Indian governments of the past 20 years following the establishment of formal diplomatic relation in 1992. [16]

Sushma Swaraj, a seasoned parliamentarian, had herself blocked the opposition demand in Rajya Sabha for passing a resolution condemning Israel for 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict by saying, "India has friendly relation with both Israel and Palestine and therefore any such move may impact its friendship negatively". [17] Although later in a symbolic gesture India joined others BRICS nations in voting at the United Nations Human Rights Council for a probe into the alleged human rights violation in Gaza, which generated mixed response among media and analysts in India. [18]

Oman

External Affairs Minister Swaraj made a two-day visit to Oman, her maiden visit to the oil-rich Persian Gulf country, on 17 February 2015 where she met her counterpart Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah and discussed bilateral issues of mutual interests. [19] The Omani top leadership expressed their interests in developing a strong political, economic and strategic relation with India. [20] Swaraj had said that the welfare of the diaspora is among her top priority in the Persian Gulf region which host more than 7 million Indian workers. [21]

United Arab Emirates

Economic cooperation defines the bilateral relations between India and the Arab Emirates, the UAE is one of the largest trading partners of India. Foreign Minister Swaraj during her maiden trip to Abu Dhabi tried to win the confidence of potential UAE investors and welcomed them to join the new Indian govt effort to build world class infrastructure in India which is expected to require foreign investments up to US$1 trillion in next five years. She had also held discussion with her counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, during the meeting, both sides reviewed the existing bilateral relations and took stock of progress and development in joint cooperation in many areas and looked into the ways of enhancing them for common interests. [22]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bangladesh–India relations</span> Bilateral relations

Bangladesh–India relations are the bilateral relations between the People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Republic of India, both of which are South Asian neighbours. Diplomatic relations between the two countries formally began in 1971 with India's recognition of an independent Bangladesh following India helping Bangladesh secure its independence during the Bangladesh Liberation War against Pakistan. On 6 December, Bangladesh and India celebrate Friendship Day commemorating India's recognition of Bangladesh and the continued friendship between the two countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sushma Swaraj</span> Indian stateswoman and diplomat (1952–2019)

Sushma Swaraj was an Indian lawyer and politician, who served as the Minister of External Affairs of India in the first Narendra Modi government from 2014 to 2019. She was the second person to complete a 5-year term as the Minister of External Affairs, after Jawaharlal Nehru. A senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Swaraj was the second woman to hold the office of Minister of External Affairs, after Indira Gandhi. She was elected seven times as a Member of Parliament and three times as a Member of the Legislative Assembly. At the age of 25 in 1977, she became the youngest cabinet minister of the Indian state of Haryana. She also served as 5th Chief Minister of Delhi for a short duration in 1998 and became the first female Chief Minister of Delhi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India–Israel relations</span> Bilateral relations

Since the 1990s, the Republic of India and the State of Israel have had a comprehensive economic, military, and political relationship. In 1947, India voted against the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine, but nonetheless recognized Israeli sovereignty in 1950. Israel opened a consulate in Bombay in 1953. Collaboration gradually increased as Israel became a key Indian ally amidst the India–Pakistan conflict; Israel supplied India with armaments, ammunition, and intelligence during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1999. Full diplomatic relations were established in 1992, when India opened an embassy in Tel Aviv and Israel opened an embassy in New Delhi. Both countries are members of the I2U2 Group, formed in October 2021, and have stated that they have a strong bilateral relationship, sharing similarities in spirit and facing common challenges, increasingly cooperating in the industrial and technological sectors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bhutan–India relations</span> Bilateral relations

The bilateral relations between the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan and the Republic of India have been traditionally close and both countries share a "special relationship", making Bhutan a protected state, but not a protectorate, of India. India remains influential over Bhutan's foreign policy, defence and commerce. Bhutan is the largest beneficiary of India's foreign aid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Look East policy (India)</span> Indias foreign policy dealing with South-East Asian nations

The Act East policy is an effort by the government of India to cultivate extensive economic and strategic relations with the nations of Southeast Asia to bolster its standing as a regional power and a counterweight to the strategic influence of the People's Republic of China. Initiated in 1991, the Look East policy by Indian government marked a strategic shift in India’s perspective of the world. It was developed and enacted during the government of Prime Minister Narsimha Rao (1991–1996) and rigorously pursued by the successive administrations of Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1998–2004) and Manmohan Singh (2004–2014).

India–Mongolia relations, also known as Indian-Mongolian relations or Indo-Mongolian relations, are bilateral relations between the democratic republics of India and Mongolia. These relations are rapidly developing, with Indo-Mongolian cooperation formerly limited to diplomatic visits, provision of soft loans and financial aid and the collaborations in the IT sector; but were enhanced in 2015 by Narendra Modi's visit to Ulaanbaatar, where the two Prime Ministers declared a "strategic partnership" between the two Asian democracies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy See–India relations</span> Bilateral relations

India-Holy See relations are the bilateral relations between the India and Holy See, which is sovereign over the Vatican City. Formal bilateral relations between the two exist since 12 June 1948. An Apostolic Delegation existed from 1881. The Holy See has a nunciature in New Delhi while India has accredited its embassy in Vienna, Austria to the Holy See as well. India's Ambassador in Bern has traditionally been accredited to the Holy See. Since 2020, Jaideep Mazumdar, India's ambassador to Austria has been the ambassador to the Holy See. Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli was appointed as the Apostolic Nuncio to India in March 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India–Kyrgyzstan relations</span> Bilateral relations

India–Kyrgyzstan relations are the relations between India and Kyrgyzstan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India–United Arab Emirates relations</span> Bilateral relations

India–United Arab Emirates relations are the bilateral relations that exist between the Republic of India and the United Arab Emirates. Since 3000 B.C., India and the UAE, including its precursor emirates, had close relations with ancient trade networks. Sumerians traded with Meluhha, Magan, and Dilmun (Bahrain), connecting through the UAE. Maritime routes facilitated Arab trade with India for silk, spices, gold, and porcelain. Sumerians traded with Meluhha, Magan, and Dilmun (Bahrain), connecting through the UAE. Maritime routes facilitated Arab trade with India for silk, spices, gold, and porcelain. Post-1971, India-UAE relations strengthened politically, economically, and culturally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">S. Jaishankar</span> External Affairs Minister of India since 2019

Subrahmanyam Jaishankar is an Indian diplomat and politician serving as the Minister of External Affairs of the Government of India since 30 May 2019. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party and a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha since 5 July 2019. He previously served as the Foreign Secretary from January 2015 to January 2018. He became the second ever diplomat to be appointed as India's External Affairs minister, after Natwar Singh.

The foreign policy of the Modi government is associated with the policy initiatives made towards other states by the current government of India after Narendra Modi assumed the office of prime minister on May 26, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sushma Swaraj's tenure as External Affairs Minister</span>

Sushma Swaraj was the Indian External Affairs Minister under Prime Minister Narendra Modi from May 2014 till May 2019, responsible for implementing the foreign policy of Narendra Modi. She is only the second women to hold this position after Indira Gandhi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asian foreign policy of the Narendra Modi government</span>

The most significant initiative made by the Narendra Modi government is the focus on neighbouring countries and major Asian powers coupled with emphasizing on the two decades old Look East policy. Asia being the major focus area of his foreign policy, Modi and his foreign minister chose several Asian countries for their initial bilateral visits. He has made state visits to Bhutan and Nepal and Japan within the first 100 days of his government and also hosted Asian leaders like former Prime Minister Tony Abbott of Australia, President Xi Jinping of China and Prime Minister Nguyễn Tấn Dũng of Vietnam, apart from inviting SAARC leaders in his inauguration ceremony. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has also made official visits to several Asian capitals like Dhaka, Bangladesh, Kathmandu, Nepal, Naypidaw, Myanmar, Singapore, Hanoi, Vietnam, Manama, Bahrain, Kabul, Afghanistan, Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Malé, Maldives, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Seoul, South Korea and Beijing China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Asian foreign policy of the Narendra Modi government</span>

Neighbourhood First Policy of India, a core component of India's foreign policy, focuses on peaceful relations and collaborative synergetic co-development with its South Asian neighbours of the Indian subcontinent encompassing a diverse range of topics, such as economics, technology, research, education, connectivity, space program, defence security, environment and climate challenge. This policy creates new avenues as well as leverages to the existing regional cooperation initiatives such as SAARC, SASEC, BBIN, and BIMSTEC. It compliments India's Look East policy focused on Southeast Asia and Look West Policy focused on Middle East.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India–Qatar relations</span> Bilateral relations

India–Qatar relations refers to the bilateral ties between India and Qatar. India maintains an embassy in Doha, while Qatar maintains an embassy in New Delhi and a consulate in Mumbai.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comoros–India relations</span> Bilateral relations

Comoros–India relations are the international relations that exist between Comoros and India. The Embassy of India in Antananarivo, Madagascar is concurrently accredited to Comoros. India also maintains an Honorary Consulate General in Moroni. Comoros maintains an Honorary Consulate in New Delhi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guinea-Bissau–India relations</span> Bilateral relations

Guinea-Bissau–India relations refers to the international relations that exist between Guinea-Bissau and India. The embassy of India in Dakar, Senegal is concurrently accredited to Guinea-Bissau. India opened an Honorary Consulate in Bissau on 28 May 2010. Guinea-Bissau has no diplomatic mission in India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">India–Solomon Islands relations</span> Bilateral relations

India–Solomon Islands relations are the international relations between India and Solomon Islands. Neither country has a resident ambassador. The High Commission of India in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea is concurrently accredited to the Solomon Islands

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2+2 Ministerial Dialogue</span> Diplomatic summit

The 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue is a diplomatic summit that has been held every year since 2018 initially between the Minister of External Affairs or Foreign Minister, and Defence Minister of India with the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense of the United States to discuss and work on common issues of concern to improve and strengthen India–United States relations.

References

  1. ↑ "100 most powerful Indians in the Gulf". Arabian Business. 14 October 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  2. ↑ "Gulf India remittance". Economic Times. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "A fifth of remittances to India will be from Keralites in Gulf". The Hindu. 4 October 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  4. ↑ "Addrerss by Secretary(East) at the Inaugural Section of Second ORF-MEA West Asia Conference in New Delhi (April 27, 2015)". Ministry of External Affairs (India). 27 April 2015. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  5. ↑ C Raja Mohan (5 October 2014). "Modi and the Middle East: Towards a Link West Policy". The Indian Express . Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  6. ↑ "Sushma in Bahrain, first Modi's colleague on tour to an Arab state". 7 September 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  7. ↑ "India, Bahrain to enhance maritime co-operation". The Economic Times . 25 December 2014. Retrieved 25 December 2014.
  8. ↑ Swami, Praveen (3 July 2014). "Kurdish leadership calls for better India ties". The Hindu.
  9. ↑ "India to open Consulate General in Kurdistan". dfr.gov.krd. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015.
  10. ↑ "India's new foreign minister a strong fan of Israel". The Times of Israel . 27 May 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  11. ↑ "Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu". The Economic Times . 29 September 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  12. ↑ "India Chooses Israel Over US for Latest Defense Purchase". The Diplomat . 29 October 2014. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  13. ↑ "Rajnath Singh in Israel to bolster ties; meets Benjamin Netanyahu". The Economic Times . 6 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  14. ↑ "Find political solution for Islamic State, Rajnath Singh to advise Israel". The Economic Times . 4 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  15. ↑ "India wants to expand ties with Israel: PM Narendra Modi". The Economic Times . 6 November 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  16. ↑ "Why Modi's India aligns more closely with Israel than with Palestinians". Al Jazeera. 3 August 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  17. ↑ "Modi govt's dilemma over Israel-Palestine conflict". Rediff. 16 July 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  18. ↑ "Gaza crisis: Modi govt's UNHRC vote against Israel must be lauded". Firstpost. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  19. ↑ "Sayyid Fahd receives Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in Oman". Times of Oman . 18 February 2015. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  20. ↑ "Eager to boost ties with India: Omani leaders tell Sushma Swaraj". The Economic Times . 18 February 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  21. ↑ "Sushma Swaraj in Oman: Welfare of Indian diaspora a top priority". India Today . 18 February 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  22. ↑ "External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj seeks increased UAE investments during visit". The Economic Times . 11 November 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2014.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.