India's defence engagement with the West Asian countries follows its strong political, economic, and people-to-people connections with them, according to Dr Raj Kumar Sharma, Senior Fellow at the New Delhi-based national security think tank NatStrat and Visiting Fellow, Department of Diplomacy and India Studies Centre, National Chengchi University, Taiwan, told Sputnik india.
India has deep energy ties with the region, while almost 9 million strong Indian diaspora contributes to the economic prosperity of both sides, he said. In the past, India has done many evacuation operations for these people from the region, he added.
"India is a serious stakeholder in the domestic and regional stability in the region. The state's growing defence diplomacy is a step in this direction, which also seeks to build interoperability between the defence forces of the two sides," Sharma stated.
India's defence exports have been growing in recent years and the West Asian market is another important destination in this regard. India had recently offered the indigenously developed Akash air defence missile system to the UAE, he noted.
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia seeks to localise 50% of its defence spending under its Vision 2030 initiative. Last year, Saudi Arabia signed a $250 million contract for ammunition from Munitions India Limited, Sharma pointed out.
"There are immense opportunities in collaboration and joint ventures in areas like cyber security, artificial intelligence, shipbuilding, and electronics. The defence trade between India and West Asia needs to pick up the pace and match the political and economic ties between the two sides," the analyst asserted.
India has a defence cooperation agreement with several countries in the region and therefore military exercises, training, defence exports and exchanges are a normal milieu. Since India is also emerging as a net security provider in the maritime geography, extensive mutually beneficial cooperation is envisaged, he highlighted.
"Moreover, there is an appetite for India-made defence equipment in these countries and India's quest to expand its defence capability and exports to friendly countries has become increasingly a focused area of cooperation," the former envoy stated.
Middle Eastern countries are strengthening ties with India, driven by shared interests in stability, security, and prosperity, particularly after disruptions from the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine and Gaza conflicts, which hurt economies in both South Asia and West Asia, he said.
The region is critical to India's energy security, as it imports substantial oil and gas from there, he added, noting that India is also keen on protecting maritime routes passing through the Gulf region and the Strait of Hormuz. The region has seen flashpoints, including a series of attacks by Yemen's Houthis on Indian shipments. However, India successfully contained the assaults through measures such as deploying guided missile destroyers and conducting aerial surveillance with Dornier and long-range Boeing P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, the geopolitical pundit underscored.
The defence cooperation is also crucial as it will help India expand its regional footprint, Arshad highlighted. The growing comprehensive partnership with the UAE is paving the way for India to deepen its relations with other countries in the region, the think tanker argued.
"Besides, India is growing its involvement in the Middle Eastern defence market through arms sales, which is poised to meet India's interests amidst the growing involvement of other actors, including China. Under the Make in India initiative, the country is poised to become a global defence exporter. The nations in the region are spending a substantial part of their budgets on manufacturing and procuring defence equipment, making it a lucrative market for India's defence hardware," Arshad said.
Defence cooperation also serves as a platform for expanding strategic partnerships in trade, investment, and technology, with Indian companies increasing their access to the large regional market. India’s lack of historical conflict in the region makes it a reliable defence partner, while its strong democratic credentials enhance its image as a resilient ally, the global politics specialist noted.
"Also, India can access funding from the Gulf countries' sovereign wealth funds for shared R&D (research and development) and industrial hubs. It will help reduce the dependency on traditional buyers and strengthen the capacity of Indian firms," Arshad concluded.