India’s Role in Resolving Middle East Conflicts: Strategic Ambiguities and Opportunities

The Middle East remains one of the most complex and volatile regions in the world, where historical grievances, sectarian divides, geopolitical rivalries, and competing interests of global powers have made conflict resolution a Herculean task. Amid this turmoil, India has increasingly sought to position itself as a diplomatic and strategic player, leveraging its growing global influence and traditional ties to both Arab nations and Israel. However, India’s role in the Middle East’s many conflicts remains marked by both promise and challenges.

India’s foreign policy in the Middle East has long been characterised by strategic ambiguity, balancing its deep ties with the Gulf nations, particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with its relationship with Israel. India has also sought to maintain its traditional support for Palestinian rights, which, when combined with its ties to both sides of the Arab-Israeli conflict, makes its position uniquely complex. Recent developments, however, reveal that India may be edging closer to a more assertive role in the region, one that could significantly shape its foreign policy trajectory and deepen its influence in the Middle East.

Growing Involvement Amidst Geopolitical Shifts

India's interest in the Middle East is not new. Historically, India has maintained robust political, economic, and cultural ties with countries in the region. The Gulf states have always been important trading partners, and millions of Indian workers have contributed to the region’s economic growth. These ties have also been critical for India’s energy security, as the Middle East accounts for a significant portion of its oil imports.

Over the last decade, however, India’s role in the Middle East has shifted. India’s growing economy and military capabilities, combined with its strategic partnerships with global powers like the United States and Russia, have provided it with increased leverage. As the United States and other Western powers recalibrate their involvement in the Middle East, India has found opportunities to step into the diplomatic void, especially as conflicts have evolved in Syria, Yemen, and Libya.

India’s role in the Middle East, particularly in the context of resolving conflicts, has been largely defined by a careful balancing act. Its diplomatic approach is guided by the principles of non-interference and respect for sovereignty, often reflecting its own experiences with territorial disputes and a history of colonialism. However, India’s ties with Iran, Israel, and the Arab world illustrate a nuanced strategy that seeks to protect its interests while navigating the geopolitical complexity of the region.

The Palestine-Israel Conflict: A Delicate Balancing Act

The Palestinian issue remains a central concern for India’s Middle Eastern diplomacy. India has traditionally supported the Palestinian cause, aligning itself with the Arab world and advocating for a two-state solution. India’s support for Palestine has been integral to its image in the Arab world, with the country continuing to pledge solidarity with the Palestinian people in the face of Israeli occupation.

At the same time, India has cultivated strong relations with Israel, particularly in the fields of defence, technology, and intelligence. This partnership has deepened under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has prioritised strengthening ties with Israel while balancing the need to maintain India’s historical support for Palestine. The India-Israel relationship, once characterised by cautious diplomacy, has now evolved into a strategic alliance focused on security and technology, especially in areas such as defence cooperation, counterterrorism, and agricultural innovation.

This dual-track diplomacy has allowed India to maintain its historical position on Palestine while simultaneously forging closer ties with Israel, a balancing act that has at times been criticised for lacking a clear stance. Some argue that India’s approach to the Palestinian issue has become increasingly inconsistent, especially as its relationship with Israel has deepened. Despite these challenges, India has consistently called for peace negotiations between the two sides, emphasising the need for a comprehensive, lasting solution based on dialogue and mutual recognition.

The Syrian Crisis: India’s Diplomatic Neutrality

The Syrian civil war, now in its eleventh year, is one of the most significant conflicts in the region, involving a variety of state and non-state actors with competing interests. India has adopted a largely neutral stance on the Syrian conflict, advocating for a political solution and respecting Syria’s sovereignty. India’s position is shaped by its long-standing policy of non-intervention and its commitment to upholding the territorial integrity of sovereign states.

India’s approach to Syria has been influenced by its broader relationships in the region. While India has maintained ties with the Syrian government, it has also sought to engage with regional powers like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, all of which have played a major role in the Syrian crisis. India’s cautious stance in Syria is indicative of its broader strategy to avoid becoming entangled in the Middle East’s messy conflicts, preferring to support peace processes through multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations.

However, as the conflict has dragged on, India’s involvement in Syria has remained limited, and its efforts at conflict resolution have not yielded significant results. India’s ability to influence the outcome of the Syrian conflict has been constrained by its relatively low presence in the region compared to other powers like Russia, the United States, and Iran. While India has contributed humanitarian aid to Syria, it has refrained from directly intervening or taking sides in the conflict, which has led some critics to argue that India’s role in the crisis has been largely symbolic.

Yemen and the Humanitarian Crisis: A Silent Diplomatic Player

The war in Yemen, now in its seventh year, has resulted in one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. While India has called for an end to the violence and has provided humanitarian assistance to Yemen, its diplomatic role in the conflict has been minimal. India has been careful not to take sides in the conflict, which is primarily between the Saudi-led coalition and Houthi rebels backed by Iran. India’s neutral stance has been driven by its need to maintain strong relations with both Saudi Arabia and Iran, two critical partners in India’s Middle East policy.

India has supported peace efforts in Yemen through multilateral forums like the United Nations, but its influence on the ground remains limited. While India has provided humanitarian aid to Yemen, it has not become deeply involved in the diplomatic or military efforts to resolve the conflict. India’s silence on the Saudi-led coalition’s airstrikes in Yemen has led to criticisms from some human rights groups, which have called for a more vocal stance on the humanitarian catastrophe.

India and the Iran-Saudi Rivalry: A Tightrope Walk

The ongoing rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia is another challenge for India’s Middle Eastern diplomacy. India has long maintained good relations with both countries, with its energy needs making Saudi Arabia a crucial partner and its cultural and strategic ties to Iran providing an important counterbalance. India’s ability to maintain positive relationships with both of these regional powers has been a diplomatic achievement, but it also places India in a delicate position as tensions between the two escalate.

India has repeatedly called for dialogue and reconciliation between Iran and Saudi Arabia, arguing that a peaceful resolution to their rivalry is critical for regional stability. However, India has also faced pressure from the United States, which has pushed for a harder stance on Iran, particularly in relation to its nuclear programme. India’s response to the Iran-Saudi rivalry has been largely one of diplomatic caution, seeking to balance its relationships without becoming embroiled in the wider geopolitical competition.

India’s Middle Eastern Dilemma

India’s approach to resolving Middle Eastern conflicts is defined by its pragmatic balancing act, which allows it to navigate the region’s complex and often contradictory demands. While India has consistently championed multilateral diplomacy and peaceful negotiations, its ability to influence outcomes on the ground remains limited. India’s strategic partnerships with key regional powers like Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Israel provide it with significant diplomatic leverage, but this also places it in a difficult position, especially as rivalries and conflicts intensify.

Ultimately, India’s role in resolving Middle Eastern conflicts will continue to be shaped by its evolving geopolitical priorities and its balancing act between maintaining traditional relationships and asserting a more active role in regional diplomacy. Whether India can rise to the challenge of playing a more central role in conflict resolution remains to be seen. However, its growing influence in the region signals that India’s engagement in the Middle East will only increase in the years to come.