Nothing leaves a footprint in the sand—not even time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be aware of this as he visits the desert Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. Therefore, it is worth asking if the two countries can cement their relationship to resist the ever-shifting sands of strategic convenience. Simply put, can India and Saudi Arabia forge a lasting strategic partnership built on mutual trust?

The answer is, sorry to say, no. At best, the relationship between the two countries will probably be built only on conditional trust. The fact is that Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, may be reliable partners in economic and technological spheres, but as geopolitical allies, they will be fickle. More on the reasons why a little later.

As of now, ties with Saudi Arabia have been rooted in trade, energy imports, and the vast Indian diaspora. India imports around 60 per cent of its crude oil from West Asia, with Saudi Arabia being a key supplier. Given the size of the crude imports, India runs a $20 billion trade deficit with Saudi Arabia. In other words, it imports more from Saudi Arabia than it exports to it. But as India strives to move towards cleaner and........

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