Over the past decade, the ties between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have witnessed an unprecedented dynamism, driven largely by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s active diplomacy. Through regular high-level interactions, the establishment of new platforms for dialogue, and promotion of multilateral alignments, India has infused its relations with the GCC with both substance and momentum. Modi’s December visit to Kuwait marked a milestone: he has now visited every GCC member state, underscoring the deepening of India’s strategic partnership with the region.

India-GCC relations have historically revolved around energy, trade, investment, and the large Indian diaspora. Bilateral trade between India and the GCC constitutes 16 percent of India’s global trade, surpassing its trade with the European Union. The UAE and Saudi Arabia rank as India’s third and fourth-largest trading partners, respectively. The GCC also plays a pivotal role in meeting India’s energy needs, supplying over 50 percent of its oil, with Qatar serving as the primary supplier of natural gas. Furthermore, countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are significant investors in India’s infrastructure and energy sectors.

The Indian diaspora, numbering nearly nine million, forms the largest expatriate group in every GCC nation. This community spans the economic spectrum, from business tycoons and professionals to blue-collar workers, contributing to the region’s economic vitality. Indian enterprises in the GCC are valued at billions of dollars and employ millions of local citizens, further cementing economic ties between the two regions.

India has broadened its regional engagement by participating in extra-regional cooperation frameworks like the I2U2 group, which includes the US,........

© Blitz