India’s relations with Gulf states have witnessed a significant transformation in the last few years. For long, New Delhi’s relations with key Gulf countries, such as UAE and Saudi Arabia, were basically built around the large Indian diaspora based in these countries. There are 7 million Indian workers in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain. These countries also help India meet its oil requirements. Today these ties are vital, but the relationship is more holistic.
Saudi Arabia is home to the largest number of Indian Passport holders, nearly 3 million, and a significant provider of India’s crude oil needs. India imports about 20 percent of its oil from Saudi Arabia. Trade between the two countries is also witnessing a rise, and was estimated at nearly $40 Billion as of 2014-2015. A number of Indian companies have significant investments in Saudi Arabia, including Larsen and Tubro, Punj Lloyd, Tata Motors and State Bank of India.
Riyadh is also emerging as an important strategic partner for New Delhi, with a subtle de-hyphenation taking place between Riyadh-New Delhi and Riyadh-Islamabad relations. In an interview to The Times of India on March 10, 2016, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubair alluded to this point, and was quick add that despite the kingdom’s historic ties with Pakistan, India was an important strategic partner.
“Pakistan is a historic ally and will remain so,” he said. “Our relations with Pakistan do not come at the expense of our relations with India. India is a strategic relationship in all fields’.
There are several significant illustrations of this de-hyphenation. In 2012, Saudi Arabia helped in the extradition of Abu Jundal, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative and among the suspected handlers of the 2008 Mumbai attacks. In December 2014, the Saudis deported Hyderabad born Mohammed Assadullah Khan, who financed the LeT. Khan was arrested by Saudi Arabia after Indian and Saudi security agencies shared intelligence about his activities. In February 2016, Saudi Arabia also deported Muhammad Abdul Aziz, one of the key figures in the Jihadist Movement in Hyderabad who was responsible for plotting attacks on temples in Andhra Pradesh.
Former Indian prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who played an important role in strengthening ties between Riyadh and New Delhi, visited Saudi Arabia in 2010. In 2006, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was a chief guest at India’s Republic Day, and became the first head of the House of Saud to do so in 51 years. During both these visits, important declarations (The New Delhi Declaration and Riyadh Declaration) made specific references to strengthening strategic partnership and combating terrorism.
“The two leaders renewed condemnation of the phenomena of terrorism, extremism and violence affirming that it is global and threatens all societies and is not linked to any race, color or belief,” said the 2010 Riyadh Declaration. “The international community must, therefore, resolutely combat terrorism. The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in exchange of information relating to terrorist activities, money laundering, narcotics, arms and human trafficking, and develop joint strategies to combat these threats. They welcomed the signing of the Extradition Treaty and the Agreement for Transfer of Sentenced Persons.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also realizes the importance of Gulf countries. He visited UAE last year, and is scheduled to tour Saudi Arabia in April. The visit comes at a time of some diplomatic tensions between the two countries, because of two separate incidents. In October 2015, a Saudi employer chopped off the hand of Kasthuri Munirathinam, a domestic worker hailing from Tamil Nadu. In September that year, a Saudi diplomat was accused of a sexual assault on two Nepalese maids in the Gurgaon suburb of New Delhi. There were rumors that the incidents compelled Modi to delay his visit to April.
When the Indian prime minister will tour Saudi Arabia, he is likely to discuss the expansion of collaboration between the militaries and navies of the two countries. While the Indian Army has agreed to hold joint military exercises with the Royal Saudi Land Force, another issue which is likely to be high on the agenda is India establishing a mountain warfare training school.
There is no doubt that the India-Saudi Arabia relationship is reasonably expansive. What remains to be seen however, is what role Saudi Arabia can and will play in the bilateral relationship between India and Pakistan, something which US has also attempted to do over the years, and China too. In his interview, the Saudi foreign minister did make a reference to the improvement in bilateral relations between Islamabad and New Delhi, but was categorical in stating that Riyadh would not like to interfere in the bilateral relationship between the two south Asian neighbors.
In conclusion, while Saudi Arabia may not like to interfere too much in the bilateral relationship, with its close economic and strategic interests in India, as well as strong historical ties with Pakistan, all eyes will be on whether and how it does a balancing act.
Tridivesh Singh Maini is a senior research associate with The Jindal School of International Affairs, at the OP Jindal Global University in Sonipat, India
Saudi Arabia is home to the largest number of Indian Passport holders, nearly 3 million, and a significant provider of India’s crude oil needs. India imports about 20 percent of its oil from Saudi Arabia. Trade between the two countries is also witnessing a rise, and was estimated at nearly $40 Billion as of 2014-2015. A number of Indian companies have significant investments in Saudi Arabia, including Larsen and Tubro, Punj Lloyd, Tata Motors and State Bank of India.
Riyadh is also emerging as an important strategic partner for New Delhi, with a subtle de-hyphenation taking place between Riyadh-New Delhi and Riyadh-Islamabad relations. In an interview to The Times of India on March 10, 2016, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubair alluded to this point, and was quick add that despite the kingdom’s historic ties with Pakistan, India was an important strategic partner.
“Pakistan is a historic ally and will remain so,” he said. “Our relations with Pakistan do not come at the expense of our relations with India. India is a strategic relationship in all fields’.
Indian Army has agreed to hold joint military exercises with the Royal Saudi Land Force
There are several significant illustrations of this de-hyphenation. In 2012, Saudi Arabia helped in the extradition of Abu Jundal, a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative and among the suspected handlers of the 2008 Mumbai attacks. In December 2014, the Saudis deported Hyderabad born Mohammed Assadullah Khan, who financed the LeT. Khan was arrested by Saudi Arabia after Indian and Saudi security agencies shared intelligence about his activities. In February 2016, Saudi Arabia also deported Muhammad Abdul Aziz, one of the key figures in the Jihadist Movement in Hyderabad who was responsible for plotting attacks on temples in Andhra Pradesh.
Former Indian prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who played an important role in strengthening ties between Riyadh and New Delhi, visited Saudi Arabia in 2010. In 2006, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was a chief guest at India’s Republic Day, and became the first head of the House of Saud to do so in 51 years. During both these visits, important declarations (The New Delhi Declaration and Riyadh Declaration) made specific references to strengthening strategic partnership and combating terrorism.
“The two leaders renewed condemnation of the phenomena of terrorism, extremism and violence affirming that it is global and threatens all societies and is not linked to any race, color or belief,” said the 2010 Riyadh Declaration. “The international community must, therefore, resolutely combat terrorism. The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in exchange of information relating to terrorist activities, money laundering, narcotics, arms and human trafficking, and develop joint strategies to combat these threats. They welcomed the signing of the Extradition Treaty and the Agreement for Transfer of Sentenced Persons.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also realizes the importance of Gulf countries. He visited UAE last year, and is scheduled to tour Saudi Arabia in April. The visit comes at a time of some diplomatic tensions between the two countries, because of two separate incidents. In October 2015, a Saudi employer chopped off the hand of Kasthuri Munirathinam, a domestic worker hailing from Tamil Nadu. In September that year, a Saudi diplomat was accused of a sexual assault on two Nepalese maids in the Gurgaon suburb of New Delhi. There were rumors that the incidents compelled Modi to delay his visit to April.
When the Indian prime minister will tour Saudi Arabia, he is likely to discuss the expansion of collaboration between the militaries and navies of the two countries. While the Indian Army has agreed to hold joint military exercises with the Royal Saudi Land Force, another issue which is likely to be high on the agenda is India establishing a mountain warfare training school.
There is no doubt that the India-Saudi Arabia relationship is reasonably expansive. What remains to be seen however, is what role Saudi Arabia can and will play in the bilateral relationship between India and Pakistan, something which US has also attempted to do over the years, and China too. In his interview, the Saudi foreign minister did make a reference to the improvement in bilateral relations between Islamabad and New Delhi, but was categorical in stating that Riyadh would not like to interfere in the bilateral relationship between the two south Asian neighbors.
In conclusion, while Saudi Arabia may not like to interfere too much in the bilateral relationship, with its close economic and strategic interests in India, as well as strong historical ties with Pakistan, all eyes will be on whether and how it does a balancing act.
Tridivesh Singh Maini is a senior research associate with The Jindal School of International Affairs, at the OP Jindal Global University in Sonipat, India