In addition to the normalisation deals between Israel and several Arab and Gulf states, Israel is looking forward to developing relations with India, hoping to establish a “triangle of Israeli-Indian-Emirati relations.”
In the first meeting of its kind held in October 2021 between the foreign ministers of India, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Israel and the US, it was decided to establish an international forum for economic cooperation.
Yoel Guzinsky, a researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University and expert on Gulf states, shared: “New Delhi has recently resumed talks to promote a free trade agreement with Israel and the UAE.”
According to Guzinsky, this is in return for the Israeli interest in increasing the Indian military presence in the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea to face off Iranian threats. Guzinsky believes it would be right to intensify tripartite cooperation to ensure freedom of navigation in the region.
Guzinsky, a former official of the Prime Minister’s Office and visiting scholar at Stanford University, added: “The geographical proximity of the three countries: Israel, the UAE and India, makes them more willing to implement joint projects for refining and petrochemicals.”
He added that Israel would use the large, professional and cheap workforce to rein in Chinese and Russian expansionist aspirations.
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The US is interested in encouraging India to take an active role in maintaining the security of the Gulf region as a counterweight to China and a means to reduce its participation in the area.
At the same time, Israel does not hide the Indian fears about its economic cooperation with China, although the latter seeks to increase its presence in the Middle East from its trade relations with Israel.
Meanwhile, the consolidation of relations between the Gulf states and China, a rival to India, may attract other Asian players.
Guzinsky said that the historical relations between the UAE and India would help strengthen ties between India, Israel and the UAE through trilateral cooperation in many areas, including energy, medicine, agriculture and security.
He added that this can be achieved: “Through complementary relations between them: Israel has advanced technology, India provides production capabilities, and the Gulf state has its needs and sources of financing.”
It is estimated that the volume of trade between Israel, India and the UAE will reach $100 billion by the end of the current decade, and in terms of military relations, India is a major importer of Israeli weapons.
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