India’s foreign policy in the Middle East

Abstract

Economic pragmatism, along with success in the rapid advancement of development, has transformed India into one of the most dynamic countries in the global economy and, secondly, into an emerging centre of wealth and power in the world. On the one hand, the requirements of economic development, and on the other hand, the extensive transformations in the international system, have imposed a new direction on India’s foreign policy in the Middle East.

This article focuses on the reasons behind the shift in India’s Middle East policy from a policy defined in the light of the principle of non-alignment during the Cold War to one redefined based on the new necessities of India’s national interests. Accordingly, the main question of the article is as follows: considering the options available to India, what changes have occurred in its foreign policy toward Middle East? The hypothesis of the article is that India’s foreign policy in this domain has undergone significant transformation.

India’s policy in the Middle East has shifted from an ideological, Third World oriented approach to a policy of multiple and multilateral commitments based on the necessity of access to energy resources such as oil and gas, markets, and military equipment.

This article is written using a descriptive-analytical and Theoretical Framework: Balance of Interests method and draws on online sources and specialized publications.