India has contact with these powers from ancient lives through the silk route and sea route. The west Asian powers are Israel, Saudi Arabs, UAF and Iran. After 1947 and up to 1991. India followed a non-alignment policy and balanced relations without depending partnership with these countries. With 1991 reforms India actively engaged with these countries through west Asian policy. The relationship with these countries are :
Saudi Arabia:-
- Provided energy security to India through oil and LPG imports.
- India diaspora around 3 billion people are engaged in the Saudi Kingdom.
- Can influence Pakistan to act against terrorism.
- It can invest in India is energy projects.
Israel:-
- Defense Partnership:
- Joint production and transfer of technology:
- Eg: Rader missile
- Drone technology and Rader,
- Counter-terrorism
- Agriculture:
- Drip irrigation
- Startup jointly to fund and research collaboration.
Iran:-
- Energy security providing to India through oil import by Iran,
- Strategic importance
- Through cabanas, port connect India to Central Asia and Afghanistan.
- Bypass Pakistan in trade connectivity.
However in the last 5 years our engagement in West Asia as difficult to balance because of the following reasons:
- India’s increasing closer to Saudi Arabia, UAE by the strategic partnership in defence and counter-terrorism. This may upset Iran, the rival of Saudi Arabia and UAE. More relaying on funds from this Saudi Arabia and UAE in India’s engagement with Iran may be affected in future.
- Israel and Iran rivalry in Syria may affect the relations with India. This is due to Israel active engagement with India in defence cooperation and funding India.
- Withdrawal of Nuclear deal by the USA and its regional allies in west Asia like Saudi, UAE and Israel pressing for more sanctions may affect our relation with Iran. India may lose the strategic gain through Chabahas port.
So what needed as depending the relations with West Asia when engaging with one country and at the same time pursue our foreign policy principles to benefit the country, putting our diplomacy into it, so that our concerns are heard and pursue a dependent policy towards West Asia.