Md. Muddassir Quamar

Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Md. Muddassir Quamar’s article ‘Drone attacks in UAE underline widening Yemen conflict’ has been published in Financial Express on 20 January, 2022.

The drone attacks on the UAE is a serious escalation in the ongoing conflict in Yemen. By mounting attacks inside the UAE, the Houthis want to increase the cost of war for the UAE, and bring international attention to the conflict in Yemen. The risk is that it will widen the Yemen war to a regional conflict with huge costs not only for the regional actors but also for the international community, says Dr Quamar.

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• Published: 20 January, 2022

Dr. Md. Muddassir Quamar’s edited book ‘Politics of Change in Middle East and North Africa since Arab Spring: A Lost Decade?’ has been published by Knowledge World, in association with the Middle East Institute, New Delhi.

The volume commemorates the ten years of the eruption of Arab Spring protests. It captures some of the prevailing political, economic, strategic, and social issues in MENA through thematic or country-specific essays that explore the ongoing transformations and underline how despite the hopelessness, the MENA societies have made progress on various fronts

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• Published: 4 January, 2022

The increased diplomatic activity in the Middle East (West Asia) with regional leaders engaging each other at various levels and forums, in spite of the continued regional power competition, ideological misgivings and threat perceptions, is a pleasing as well as a puzzling development. For India, this is an opportunity to enhance its diplomatic and economic engagements with the regional countries.

• Published: November 22, 2021
• IDSA Comments

Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Md. Muddassir Quamar’s Op-Ed article ‘Israel-UAE bonhomie and the changing dynamics in the Middle East’ was published on the Financial Express website on November 22, 2021.

The article discusses the growing Israel-UAE partnerships in a wide range of issues and underline that this signals that the two countries are emerging as the primary regional allies of the United States and are at the forefront of the changing regional dynamics creating new opportunities for partnership with emerging global powers including India.

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• Published: 22 November, 2021

Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Md. Muddassir Quamar’s commentary ‘India and the Shifting Regional Landscape in West Asia’ was published in Financial Express Online on October 19, 2021.

Dr. Quamar discusses the significance of the quadrilateral meeting between the Foreign Ministers of India, Israel, UAE and the US during the ongoing visit of EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar to Israel.

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• Published: 19 October, 2021

The Baghdad Conference is significant for a variety of reasons including Iraq’s attempt to emerge as a regional mediator and reduce tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia on the one hand, and Turkey and Egypt–UAE, on the other. However, at the core of it, the event was aimed at reviving Iraq’s economic and political fortunes.

• Published: October 05, 2021
• IDSA Comments

Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Md. Muddassir Quamar’s commentary ‘New Vistas in Indo-Saudi Ties’ was broadcast by All India Radio (AIR) External Service Division on September 21, 2021.

The commentary underlines the significance of Saudi FM Prince Faisal Bin Farhan's recent visit to India towards overcoming the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 in bilateral commercial relations between India and Saudi Arabia.

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• Published: 21 September, 2021

Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Md. Muddassir Quamar’s chapter ‘The ‘Islamic State' and Threats to India's National Security’ has been published in an edited volume ‘Facets of India's Security: Essays for C. Uday Bhaskar’, edited by Prof. P. R. Kumaraswamy and published by Routledge, London.

The chapter discusses the ‘Islamic State’ phenomenon both in terms of the terrorist group targeting India and the number of Indians who joined the group or got inspired by its ideology. This, however, does not diminish the threats to India’s national security, especially since there were a few dozen cases of individuals migrating to areas under the ‘Islamic State’ in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq and Yemen or joining the group to fight in Iraq and Syria or developing sleeper cells within India. Despite the success thus far and the defeat of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the potency and lure of the ideology remain intact and a threat to India’s national security.

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• Published: 21 September, 2021

Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Md. Muddassir Quamar’s Op-ed piece on ‘Prospects for India-Saudi Cooperation on Afghanistan’ has been published by Financial Express Online, on September 20, 2021.

The piece underlines the commonality of threat perceptions between India and Saudi Arabia vis-a-vis the revival of the Taliban regime. It argues that the two sides should work together for regional security and stability.

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• Published: 20 September, 2021

Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr Md. Muddassir Quamar’s opinion piece “Grand Opportunity for India to ‘Act West’ in the Middle East” has been published by Raksha Anirveda on September 08, 2021.

The article discusses potential opportunities for India to partner with Israel and UAE in the wake of the Abraham Accords. It argues that India-Israel-UAE relationship has the potential to be the fulcrum for India’s ‘Act West’ policy with defence and security being among the key thrust areas where Israeli technology, UAE resources and Indian skilled workforce can come together.

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• Published: 8 September, 2021