Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses
मनोहर पर्रिकर रक्षा अध्ययन एवं विश्लेषण संस्थान

West Asia

About Centre

The West Asia Centre seeks to cover issues, themes and countries of the region which are undergoing rapid political transformation impacting the political and security situation of the region and beyond. Popular protests demanding political and economic reforms and the subsequent fall of some long ruling authoritarian rulers and the rise of Islamists to power have significantly changed the region’s political landscape. GCC-Iran rivalry, Shia-Sunni sectarian conflict, external intervention in the region, and the rise of religious radicalism have further aggravated the situation. The Centre is closely following the unfolding internal political developments in individual countries as well as the regional political scenario.

The historical shifts in the region and domestic political developments will have a significant impact on India’s external environment. With huge stakes in the region such as energy, trade and safety of Indian citizens in the region, it has become important for India to carefully watch developments taking place in its ‘extended neighbourhood.’ These and other related issues are being focused upon by the scholars at the Centre. The Centre continues to hold regular bilateral dialogues with some leading think tanks in West Asia thus facilitating exchange of ideas and perspectives.

Current projects being pursued in the Centre are:

  • Linking South and Central and West Asia: Transportation and Energy Cooperation
  • Political transformations in the Arab world and implications for India
  • Regional organisation in Gulf: The Gulf Cooperation Council
  • India-Arab relations and partnership
  • Iran’s domestic and foreign policies
  • India’s Engagement with Iran: Prospects and challenges.

Members:

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Prasanta Kumar Pradhan Research Fellow
Deepika Saraswat Associate Fellow
Abhishek Yadav Research Analyst
Hirak Jyoti Das Research Analyst

West Asia in Transition – Volume II

  • Publisher: Pentagon Press
West Asia in Transition-Volume II is the result of a project launched by the Delhi Policy Group (DPG) in 2016 to study the rapidly changing socio-political and economic structures as well as emerging trends in West Asia. The publication is a collection` of essays by senior diplomats, academics and young researchers on different aspects of the profound transformation taking place in the West Asian region.
  • ISBN: 978-93-86618-17-7,
  • Price: ₹.1295/- $34.95/-
  • E-copy available
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India’s Saudi Policy: Bridge to the Future

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
The book traces India’s Saudi Policy and locates the current state of bilateral relations and the challenges it faces. It argues that during the Cold War the relations were largely shaped by the Pakistan factor which in turn inhibited both sides from exploring the importance and value of one another. As a result, the relations were largely transactional and marginal. The end of the Cold War coincided with two interesting developments, namely, significant growth in India’s economic power and influence and the de-hyphenation of Pakistan from its Middle East policy. This resulted in greater political engagements between India and Saudi Arabia and was strengthened by the growing energy trade ties. For long expatiate population and haj have been the backbone of the relations, and they have been new instruments as India looks to enhance its engagements with the Kingdom through investments opportunities, political contacts, shared security concerns and strategic cooperation. India’s Saudi policy, however, face many challenges most importantly the regional instability, the Iran factor, low oil price and the international dynamics. The book will be the first comprehensive work on the India-Saudi relations. Though targeting a wider audience, it will be academically grounded and based on primary sources collected from India and Saudi Arabia.
  • E-book ISBN: 978-981-13-0794-2, Hardcopy ISBN: 978-981-13-0793-5,
  • Price: E-book - E-book - $84.99, Hardcopy - $109.99
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Persian Gulf 2016-17: India’s Relations with the Region

  • Publisher: Pentagon Press

The Persian Gulf-2016-17 is fifth in the series published by MEI @ ND and first in collaboration with the IDSA. It Examines India’s bilateral relations with the region and focusses on developments during 2015 and 2016. It gives a comprehensive account of the strategic, political, economic and cultural aspects of bilateral developments and also provides in depth analysis of internal dynamics of the Persian Gulf countries.

  • ISBN: 978-93-86618-19-1,
  • Price: ₹ 1295
  • E-copy available
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Geopolitical Shifts in West Asia: Trends and Implications

  • Publisher: Pentagon Press

The West Asian region is undergoing a phase of massive turbulence since the outbreak of the Arab Spring. This period has been marked by popular protests, internal conflicts, civil wars, military interventions and involvement of external players. The regional security situation remains fragile with a new terrorist entity, the Islamic State, emerging to challenge the existing geographical boundaries of the region. There has been an enormous increase in terrorism and extremism, and the non-state actors have gained significant influence in regional politics.

  • ISBN 978-81-8274-877-4,
  • Price: ₹ 995.00
  • E-copy available
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Developments in the Gulf Region: Prospects and Challenges for India in the Next Two Decades

  • Publisher: Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA)

This volumes examines the current emerging social, political, economic and security trends in the Gulf Region and likely trajectory of events and plausible scenarios for the next two decades to help policy makers in India to prepare for a variety of contingencies in a region of immense importance to India.

  • ISBN 978-81-8274-745-6,
  • Price: ₹. 695/-
  • E-copy available
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The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation: India Seeking New Role in the Eurasian Regional Mechanism

India, in 2005, acquired the observer status in the SCO. It has also expressed its desire to join the SCO as a full member. It is believed that China would try and delay India's entry as full member in this regional organisation, whereas Russia along with the Central Asian countries would continue to support India's full membership in the SCO. New regional and global order would demand greater cooperation between India and China in future.

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Emerging Trends in West Asia: Regional and Global Implications

  • Publisher: Pentagon Press

The book provides an in-depth assessment of socio-political, economic and strategic trends unfolding in West Asia. It also explores options for India to enhance existing relations with the West Asian region in a much more meaningful manner. The complexities of West Asia have been systematically explored by scholars, diplomats and specialists to advance the understanding of West Asia's political and strategic architecture.

  • ISBN 978-81-8274-771-5,
  • Price: ₹. 995/-
  • E-copy available
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India–Israel Defence Trade: Issues and Challenges

To achieve strategically critical self-reliance in defence production, there needs to be a greater focus on co-development, co-production projects with important partners like Israel, with an essential emphasis on exports to third countries. For the full realisation of the potential of the India–Israel defence partnership, India on its part needs to strengthen elements of its procurement processes—including the proper implementation of laid down policies.

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Assessing US Influence over India–Israel Relations: A Difficult Equation to Balance?

As India’s Israel policy evolved over time, the US involvement in this bilateral relationship has been constant, albeit neither consistent nor direct. Breaking with traditional state-centric approaches, this article focuses on the key role played in shaping the nature of India–Israel ties by non-state and sub-state actors such as specific political personalities, for example Congressmen Emmanuel Celler in the 1940s and Stephen Solarz in the 1980s, as well as of pro-Israel interest groups based in the US, like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the American Jewish Committee (AJC).

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Israel and India: Looking Back and Ahead

The article begins by reviewing the Zionist attempts to turn India into a friend. The Zionist movement viewed India as important almost from its formation. Attitudes shaping behaviour prior to the formation of both the states are assessed, as is the icy relationship that prevailed between the two states prior to January 1992. The factors that brought about the change in the relationship to ambassadorial status are analysed, along with the two countries’ burgeoning strategic partnership. Finally, a few thoughts are offered concerning the future of the relationship.

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Redefining ‘Strategic’ Cooperation

A quarter century after normalisation of relations, India and Israel have shown considerable maturity in handling bilateral relations and dexterity in managing their occasional differing worldviews. Relations have weathered political changes within India as well as periodic upheavals in West Asia and the stalemate in the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Military-security cooperation played a pivotal role in carrying forward relations even when political contacts were minimal, as was the case during the decade-long United Progressive Alliance (UPA) rule.

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India–Israel: The View from West Asia

The view from West Asia of India–Israel ties has been interlinked not only with the region’s negative perception of Israel but also with Israel’s evolving position in the West Asian geo-political framework. The growing economic and political power of India in the last two decades and its deepening economic ties with countries in West Asia, however, have brought new factors into play. This perspective, along with the promise of the positive role India can play in West Asian affairs, now colours the Arab appreciation of India–Israel ties as well.

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India–Israel Defence Engagement: A Naval Perspective

P. V. Narasimha Rao took over as the ninth Prime Minister of India on June 21, 1991. Rao, a reluctant prime minister, presided over a period that witnessed the most defining events in modern history, both within India and across the world. He charted an unprecedented course for the Indian economy, bringing the country back from the edge of bankruptcy to a period of sustained economic growth that continues even today. The Soviet flag was lowered forever on Christmas day of 1991, bringing the Cold War to an anti-climactic end.

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India–Israel Defence Engagement: Land Forces’ Cooperation

The Israeli military has been tested through the entire range of conflict from the conventional to the asymmetric since its inception in May 1948 to the present day. In the process, it has become one of the most powerful military forces in West Asia, with a reputation to match. Not many are aware that Indian Jews, notably the Bene Israelis, have served with distinction under Indian chieftains as well as the East India Company a few hundred years ago.

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A Perspective on India–Israel Defence and Security Ties

India’s defence and security ties with West Asia has not been a recent phenomena but dates back to more than a century. Indian cavalry soldiers scripted a brave saga of courage and sacrifice in what perhaps may be described as the last cavalry charge in history. This unique cavalry action on September 23, 1918 comprising the Jodhpur, Mysore and Hyderabad Lancers (as part of the 15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade) was tasked with capturing the port city of Haifa in present day Israel.

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India–Israel: Retrospective and Prospective

Shimon Peres’ (then Foreign Minister of Israel) meeting with Eduardo Faleiro (then Indian Minister of State for External Affairs) on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York in September 1992 was among the first ministerial-level contacts between India and Israel after the establishment of diplomatic relations in January of that year. Peres, whom I was to meet many times in the ensuing years in my various capacities, left a deep impression on me.

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