Modi is rightly
focusing on West Asia now
Prime Minister
Narendra Modi’s visit to Riyadh comes eight
months after Mr. Modi travelled to the United Arab Emirates, and it is expected
be followed by one to Israel. This indicates
New Delhi’s foreign policy towards the region. Saudi Arabia, in particular, has been a traditional source of energy
and of remittances for India. Now both countries are stepping up cooperation in
counter-terrorism and intelligence-sharing. This is particularly to improve
ties with close allies of Pakistan. There
are tensions in the Pakistan-Saudi
relationship after Islamabad’s renewed engagement with Iran. Pakistan had also
refused to send troops to Yemen to join a Saudi war coalition.
The weak spots
in India-Saudi ties arise owing to Saudis funding extremist groups in West Asia, improper treatment meted out to Indian workers in the kingdom and funding of Wahhabi groups elsewhere,
including in India.
Saudi Arabia
needs to reform Islam and its interpretation to fit into the modern World. Women's rights and rights of all
the other World's religions to co-exist peacefully should be respected. Saudi
Arabia needs to allow other religions to be practised on its soil.
The pious
intentions of the India-Saudi Joint Statement should be translated into
concrete actions. Ever since the economic
liberalization of India, there has been an upswing in relationships between the
two countries as India became a major oil importer. Saudi Arabia clamped down
on many anti-Indian interests operating from their soil and even extradited
quite a few. It toned down its rhetoric against India in OIC. The two countries
enhanced their military-to-military contacts and planned a series of exercises
between their armies and navies. There had been signing of a MoU on defence
cooperation thus broadening defence engagement.
As oil becomes
irrelevant, KSA has to expand relationship with huge economies like India to
benefit economically. At the same time, India will have to guard against
intrusion of Wahhabism into our land especially as Deobandism has similarities
with it. India-KSA ties cannot and should not be viewed through the prism of
Pakistan or Iran just as we cannot object to Iran-Pak or Pak-China
relationships.
Visit by the PM
to Saudi Arabia not only enhances India's role in West Asian politics but also
makes room for helping the warring countries to look India for mediation in
resolving their despites. India. Being far away from West Asia, India can play
a vital part in Palestinian resolution of its dispute with Israel as India has
good rapport with Israel. In the same way, the Saudi- Iran conflict may also
find amicable solution if India tries to mediate and arrange some sort of talks
with both countries. Hence, along with economic benefits, India might have a
role as a goodwill ambassador in Arab world.
It is not with
the backing of Saudi Arabia or any other middle east Muslim nations that
Pakistan is waging a terrorist war with India not with the help of Saudi Arabia
or middle east Muslim nations but with the support of its 'All weather Friend'
China. China wants to keep India in tenterhooks as it also has border disputes
with India. To put pressure on India to bring it to its terms, China considers
two is always better than one and gives all support or keeps mum for all the
state sponsored terrorism that Pakistan is engaged in against India.
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