India's West Asia Policy: Analyzing the 'Transactional' Shift in Condemning the Doha Strike
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: International Relations (India's foreign policy, West Asia, Israel-Palestine conflict, UNHRC, UNGA); Indian Diaspora; Energy Security.
Mains:
General Studies Paper 2 (International Relations): Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests; Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests; The role of Indian diaspora. India's balancing act in West Asia is a crucial Mains topic.
Key Highlights from the News
India strongly condemned Israel's bombing in Doha, Qatar, describing it as a violation of Qatar's sovereignty.
This marks a significant shift from India's previously softer stance on Israeli attacks in other countries like Iran and Syria.
Experts suggest that this strong reaction is driven more by India's close ties with Qatar and the Gulf region than by its principled stands.
Key reasons behind India's strong stance:
Qatar is a crucial supplier of gas to India.
The safety of millions of Indian diaspora working in the Gulf region.
The recent Saudi-Pakistan mutual defense agreement is a concern for India, necessitating solidarity with other Gulf countries.
This incident highlights the complex balancing act in India's West Asia policy.
India recently reaffirmed its support for a two-state solution for Palestine through a UN vote, while maintaining strong ties with Israel.
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