Gulf Demands India’s Proactive Participation in West Asian Security Framework

February 15, 2013

New Delhi: The 15th Asian Security Conference at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses concluded today with an increasing demand for India’s proactive participation in the West Asian framework and specially in the Gulf region. Perceived as a morally correct power and acceptable to every one, India can also be included as a critical partner in dialogue with Iran on nuclear issues, or perhaps as a P5+2 Group, it was stated.

The panellists agreed that Arab Spring has effected deep rooted changes, which will have long term effects. These long term effects will result in further consolidation of changes taking place in West Asia. The regional balance of power in West Asia is rapidly changing. Iran and Egypt seem to be consolidating a fresh strategic partnership, while Israel is not throwing up any fresh ideas. There was a near consensus during the conference that the multilateral framework of Gulf security will have to encompass participation from Iraq, Iran and perhaps Egypt, besides the GCC. Such a framework will have to overcome mutual mistrusts and asymmetries.

Earlier, a Roundtable on the “Role of Asia in Evolving Security dynamics and architecture of the Gulf Region” was conducted to examine the possibilities of Asia’s potential involvement in the changing security dynamics of the region.

The panellist including, Shri Sanjay Singh- Secretary East, Ministry of External Affairs agreed that the key element in the security arrangements in the Gulf over the last four decades has been the US determination to ensure that no other external power could exert a dominant influence over the region so that it can have an unhindered access to Gulf oil. However, with the development of alternative sources of energy in their home territories, the US dependence on Gulf has been declining and could result in reduced US interest in the region.

The panel highlighted India and China’s growing dependency on Gulf. Both countries have established themselves firmly as leading trade partners of the Gulf countries. The most important dimension of the change in the balance of economic interest in the Gulf region is that the Gulf States are in a stronger position than before to lessen external strategic involvement in the region-whether from the West or East.

The Asian Security Conference is a major calendar event of the IDSA, which is organised in early spring each year. Since 1999 when the conference was first held, it has become an important forum for debating issues relating to Asian Security. The ASC provides an opportunity for policy makers, scholars and security analysts, both from India and abroad, to share their views on the security challenges facing the continent. The conference had participants from most Middle Eastern countries, as well as the US, UK, Australia, etc.