AT a time when the world is divided over the Israel-Gaza war and the monarchs of leading Islamic nations are on the edge, something surreal happened in the Middle East – a grand Hindu temple was inaugurated in the UAE, India took part in military exercise with Saudi Arabia, and the Emir of Qatar granted pardon to eight retired Indian naval officers, who were all set for execution. All of this transpired within the past few days and there was a common thread binding this trend – Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his personally managed relationships with the rulers of these prominent Muslim nations. India had reached the pinnacle of its diplomatic power in the Gulf counties.
The BAPS temple that has come up right at the heart of the Arab world is built at a cost of $84 million, on an area of 27 acres, on the land donated by the Emirati President himself. This is indeed a grand gesture from the Emiratis who have remained unfazed by the Western media’s narrative that Indian Muslims are an oppressed minority. Instead, the UAE’s leadership has presented a glowing endorsement of PM Modi, at a time when India is headed for a national election.
The UAE has taken a progressive turn; while it remains highly traditionalist and authoritarian from the outset, it is one of the most liberal countries in West Asia. Moreover, it has positioned itself as antiterrorism. And when it comes to India, the UAE has gone all out. The two nations are strategically aligned and are part of various regional groupings and projects, including the I2U2 and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).
India can count on the UAE to be a trusted friend, come what may. The UAE does not pass running commentary on Kashmir or side with Pakistan against India. It is not just investing in J&K but also seems to recognise Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir as part of India. Indians form more than onethird of the total population of the UAE. They have helped build this nation, while never once posing a challenge to its security or polity.
Qatar is a whole different and challenging arena in comparison to the seamless grounds of the UAE. This is where another incredible breakthrough for PM Modi came from. Last year, Qatar’s courts sentenced eight former Indian Navy officials to the gallows on charges of espionage. This shook India to its core. Yet, India’s diplomatic charm prevailed. PM Modi stepped in personally and that ultimately changed the Qatari Emir’s mind. The men were released.
As a gesture of thanks, PM Modi announced his visit to Qatar, along with his UAE trip which was planned much earlier. And he returned with a favourable LNG deal from this gas-rich nation. A little less talked-about development last week was Saudi Arabia concluding a military exercise with India called, which was called ‘Sada Tanseeq’.
A few decades ago, no one could have imagined any of these developments to be possible. India just did not have that kind of sway in West Asia. But it has now, after years of focused and nurturing diplomacy, and this has emerged as a major asset for New Delhi impacting both economic and security domains.
