India’s “Look West” Policy in the Middle East under Modi
MIDDLE EAST INSTITUTE
In May Narendra Modi’s Bhaaratiya Janata Party (BJP) won the Indian elections and a second term in government. What are the implications of this victory for India’s foreign policy, especially in the Middle East? To address this question, it is useful to review India’s strategy in the region and its principal relationships. In doing so, it becomes clear that Modi has built upon and intensified efforts begun under previous governments. It is also clear that in conducting its policy, the Modi administration has benefited from the current state of international politics in the Middle East.
That Modi has come to be seen as a more active player in the Middle East stands in contrast to expectations following his election in 2014. It was then assumed that he would focus on domestic affairs rather than on foreign policy. It was also assumed that his foreign policy, insofar as he had one, would echo that of previous BJP and the more secular Congress party. It would focus on accommodation with the United States, while also pursuing foreign investment from countries like China, Japan, Singapore and Australia, as part of its “Look East” policy.
