Formulating ties of India with GCC nations: a new era of collaboration

By Ashutosh Kumar International Relations Committee, IMT Hyderabad Institute of Management Technology, Hyderabad

This first India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Joint Ministerial Meeting was a step that marked the end of an era in the history of diplomacy and economics for India with the GCC nations because it met on September 9, 2024, in Riyadh. The meeting is a culmination point of adopting a Joint Action Plan for 2024-2028, which aims to strengthen the cooperation between countries in trade, security, energy, and culture. The post will analyze the significance of this meeting, the main areas of focus under the Joint Action Plan, and the larger background of India-GCC relations.

?Historical Context of India-GCC Relations

A long history of India and the GCC where trade exists over the years along with cultural and people-to-people contacts between India and these countries is going to continue into future times. The six GCC members comprise Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain. India has also been one of the most prevalent trading partners for these countries in terms of oil imports and labour exports.

The dynamics of geopolitics have changed in recent years, triggering both countries to adjust and strengthen their ties. The GCC countries now know India's strengths not only economically but also its strategic importance in the region. On the contrary, India has been diversifying its energies from where it imports and expanding its influence within the Gulf region.

Key Features of the Joint Ministerial Meeting

Participation in the Joint Ministerial Meeting included high officials of both sides, such as foreign ministers or representatives of different sectors. Approach of discussion was guided by the large headings:

1.Economic Cooperation: The meeting underlined the need to increase bilateral trade and investment. Trade between India and all 6 GCC-would-be nations is expected to reach approximately $160 billion in 2023. So, there is a significant growth potential. Joint Action Plan would work towards simplification of trade flow, tariff reductions, and facilitation of joint ventures in technology, industry, and agriculture.

2. Energy Security: Energy is one of the main areas of cooperation between GCC countries, which are some of the largest oil producers, and India, which is the largest consumer of oil globally. The Joint Action Plan is devised for renewable energy projects and for exploring sustainable energy solutions for climate change challenges.

3.?Security collaboration: With increasing regional tensions coupled with the threats of terrorism and cyber threats, both parties also recognized the need for more security cooperation. The measures for regional stability mentioned in the plan include intelligence sharing, joint military exercises, and counter-terrorism initiatives.

4.?Cultural Exchange: Cultural relations are critical in building mutual understanding between India and the GCC countries. The Joint Action Plan also has measures that provide for a promotion of cultural exchanges in arts, education, or tourism that celebrates the common heritage.

5.?Health Cooperation: Health cooperation was highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic when health cooperation proved particularly vital. The Joint Action Plan aims to enhance cooperation in healthcare through joint research initiatives, pharmaceutical collaborations, and public health programs.

People, Prosperity and Progress: the 3P Program

The joint action plan has, as one of its significant features, the 3P approach- People, Prosperity and Progress. This will ensure that the fruits of partnerships are felt all levels:

·?People: Building people-to-people ties is an essential important step toward building goodwill between nations. Under this will be providing scholarships for students from GCC countries to come and study in India and vice versa. Promotion of tourism would also further these causes.

·?Prosperity: Economic prosperity is at the core of this partnership. The two sides wish to create jobs and increase economic growth by entering into trade agreements and investments into key sectors like technology and infrastructure development.

·?Progress: This term defines efforts being done together to resolve other global problems like climate change and public health emergencies. In fact, India and GCC countries together will be doing something for the global effort on these issues through their actions toward sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Wider Implications for Regional Stability

The Joint Action Plan is being adopted at a time when the emerging world's geopolitical configuration is changing rapidly, especially in the Gulf region. The same rapidly changing alliances, along with the emergence of new threats from non-state actors, have made it more relevant than ever to seek constructive engagement between India and GCC nations. Friends can do much more than mere economics and trade-forge peace between countries and provide stability to the region as a whole.

To further this, India's strategic partnerships with individual GCC countries could serve as a model for transforming such multilateral cooperation in the region. Moving forward, as India establishes itself more and more prominently on the world stage through initiatives such as "Act East" and "Neighborhood First," the engagement with GCC will play a key role in shaping the geopolitical landscape of the future.