Online published on 10 October, 2016.
As a geopolitical centre of gravity, West Asia holds a key position in shaping the contours of contemporary world politics. It is a strategic pivot linking Africa, Europe and Asia through the Suez Canal. The resurgence of political Islam in post-Arab Spring regional politics together with the rise of violent religious extremism and the recent Iranian nuclear agreement with the P5+1 have raised both hopes of and challenges to regional and international players including India. West Asia is critical for India's security and prosperity and they have a strong historical, civilisational and geographical afficnity. The region is also its oil and gas lifeline, as it supplies 70 per cent of the country's energy. India's cumulative trade with the Middle East is estimated at around $160 billion. Moreover, the presence of six million Indian expatriate workers is a resource multiplier, as they send an annual remittance of nearly $50 billion.
