What happened?
India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM), Dr. S. Jaishankar, delivered the keynote address at the inaugural Raisina Dialogue in Abu Dhabi on January 28, 2025, highlighting the growing importance of India-Middle East relations. He emphasised that India considers the Middle East as an extended neighbourhood with which India has fully reconnected.
Why it matters to India:
EAM’s remarks are noteworthy because, in recent years, India’s bilateral relations have deepened significantly, particularly with the Gulf countries. For example, trade between India and the Gulf has reached USD 160 to 180 billion annually, with more than 9 million Indians living and working in the region. Beyond energy, India’s strategic interests encompass infrastructure, defence, technology, fertilisers, and green energy projects, including green hydrogen and submarine cables. Dr. Jaishankar also mentioned that connectivity is central to regional cooperation. Initiatives like the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) are steps toward restoring disrupted natural linkages. Maritime security and humanitarian cooperation are also areas requiring collaborative mechanisms.