Prime Minister Narendra Modi is changing India’s foreign policy significantly.
The first Hindu temple in the Arabian Peninsula opened last month in the United Arab Emirates.
The Prime Minister of India who visited the Persian Gulf Narendra Modi dedicate the sanctuary in a solemn ceremony. The opening wreaths have withered, but the temple symbolizes the new age in many ways. Prosperous and rapidly developing India is looking for trade partners in the Persian Gulf.
Geopolitical change is characterized as the prime minister’s most important foreign policy policy. Among others, The Economist magazine writes about the topic.
India has influence in the region. It sends cheap labor to the Persian Gulf and its navy patrols the Red Sea for attacks by Yemen’s Houthis. For example, in the UAE, about a third of the population are Indians, their number is about 3.5 million.
Traditionally, India has supported Iran the most among the countries in the region. Now the partnership is being strengthened with rich oil countries and Israel.
In the past, Muslim countries in the region have supported India’s neighbor and regional partner in the dispute, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Iran, on the other hand, is a major supporter of the Palestinians. The October attack on Israel by the extremist organization Hamas is changing the traditional setting. Arms trade between Israel and India is increasing.
India challenges China
The Persian Gulf has wealth and power. That is why it is of interest to the Asian economic powers China and India. India wants to challenge its neighbors especially in technology and infrastructure projects.
India’s growing influence in the Persian Gulf is indicated by trade figures. Last year, the UAE and India signed a free trade agreement aimed at doubling bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030.
Meanwhile, imports from Iran, India’s second major oil supplier, have decreased due to the sanctions imposed by the United States.
The interest is mutual. Emirates has invested 75 billion dollars in various infrastructure projects in fast-growing India. Saudi Arabia’s investments are even larger, more than 100 billion dollars.
Indian companies have won giant contracts from Chinese companies in tenders.
Foreign political victories are a boost to the elections
Prime Minister Modi’s flashy appearances abroad are part of the election campaign. Elections will be held in India in May.
It is hoped that the dedication of the temple will inspire voters in Modi’s Hindu nationalist BJP party to the polls. Indians living abroad are also important financiers of election campaigning.
The Prime Minister of India has built relations especially with the United Arab Emirates. He has visited there seven times during his term of office.