The Impact of Regional and International Variables on Indian Foreign Policy towards the Countries of the Council Gulf Cooperation Council

Abstract

    This research examines and analyzes the impact of regional and international variables on shaping India's foreign policy direction toward the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. This is within the context of geopolitical transformations in West Asia, where the GCC states emerge as a key area for the intersection of strategic interests between regional and international powers. At the regional level, the study focuses on three main variables: Iran, Israel, and Pakistan, as influential players in India's security and political calculations. Iran is considered an important partner for India in the field of energy and trade routes toward Central Asia, but at the same time, it represents a strategic challenge to Indian policy with the GCC states. Israel has become an important source of defense technology and security cooperation for India since the 1990s. Pakistan represents the most sensitive and influential variable in Indian policy, both in terms of the ideological and security dimensions and in the context of competition for influence in the Arabian Gulf region, given the historical and religious ties between it and the GCC states.  At the international level, the research addressed key variables represented by (the United States of America, China, and Russia). The United States is considered a traditional partner of India and seeks to support the Indian role in balancing Chinese influence in the Indian and Pacific Oceans region. China, on the other hand, poses a strategic challenge to India, as their interests intersect in the Gulf in the areas of energy, investment, and infrastructure, within a quiet competition for economic and political influence. Meanwhile, Russia has emerged as a growing international variable, especially after the Russian-Ukrainian war. Shifts in the international order have prompted India to expand its partnership with Moscow in the areas of energy, defense, and nuclear technology, while maintaining a delicate balance in its relations with both the West and the Gulf states.