West Asia

With Australia, New Zealand and West Asia offering higher salaries, clearer residency options and lower tax burdens, many Indian doctors now see the UK as a stepping stone rather than a destination.

India-Oman trade pact allows longer stays, higher transfer quotas for Indian professionals

The India-Oman CEPA raises intra-company transferee quota from 20% to 50%, allows contractual service suppliers to stay up to two years with a possible two-year extension in Oman, and liberalises visas for business visitors and professionals across services sectors.

PM Modi’s Jordan visit seals agreements on energy, water, culture and digital cooperation

MoUs on renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and cultural exchange signed during Modi's first visit to Jordan, as two sides mark 75 years of diplomatic ties

India-Oman free trade agreement to be signed soon: Govt official

The Indian government is exploring markets in West Asia and Europe for its labour-intensive products to cushion the impact of the steep tariffs imposed by the US.

Iran-Israel War: India ramps up oil imports from Russia, US in June

The conflict in the Middle East has so far not impacted oil supplies.

PM Modi calls for ceasefire in West Asia, reiterates importance of two-state solution

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the sidelines of the Summit of the Future on September 24 and called for a ceasefire in West Asia.

'Exceptionally difficult period': S Jaishankar’s grim forecast amid Middle East tensions

He also said that apart from the geopolitical challenges, climate change and economic issues will also play a crucial role.

Fin Min monitoring oil price impact due to potential revival in China's economy: Official

For a while now oil prices have mostly stayed below $90 a barrel thanks to subdued economic data from China, given that weak domestic demand lowers Beijing’s gigantic requirement for crude. And this to an extent compensated for the impact of tensions in the Middle East.

36 hours in Abu Dhabi, UAE, soon to be new home to the largest Hindu temple in West Asia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Abu Dhabi's BAPS Hindu Mandir, the first traditional stone temple and the largest Hindu temple in West Asia, on Basant Panchami (February 14, 2024). While in Abu Dhabi, don't miss the stunning natural vistas, beaches and seascapes - all set against a backdrop of understated luxury.

India-US 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue: West Asia crisis, Indo-Pacific key topics in Jaishankar's talks with Blinken

This visit has a particular significance because we need to follow up on PM Modi's June visit and President Biden's September visit. This is a 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, so we take a broader view of what we are doing, says Jaishankar.

Will Iran escalate the Hamas-Israel war? Improbable, though not impossible

Just the realisation that prolonging the war could be self-defeating may egg the stakeholders to peace. Israel is losing the moral high ground through continuous bombardment of Gaza and Iran wouldn’t want to jeopadise improving relations with Arab neighbours. There’s still some hope for a ceasefire

Israeli delegation attends UN heritage conference in Saudi Arabia in first public visit by officials

The visit comes as Washington is pushing to broker normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia

PM Modi launches scaled-up Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment at G20 Summit

The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor programme will build sustainable, resilient infrastructure in India, countries in West Asia and the US.

America’s new moves on the West Asian checkerboard are complicated by geopolitical realities

The West Asia rail link being pitched by the United States faces a challenging road ahead. The desperate attempt to counter Chinese influence in the region will remain a limited project unless more Arab nations can be roped in

In-Depth | How China gains from Saudi-Iran truce and what it means for India

Mediating truce between the two Middle Eastern oil giants is aimed at securing China's core interests: energy, trade, and investments.

Decline in Kerala’s inward remittances will hit state's finances

Maharashtra toppled Kerala in inward remittances. Kerala slipping from the pole position was not unexpected given the job losses among migrants in West Asia during 2020-21

Infra financing, green tech to be in focus for India at first I2U2 Summit

The first virtual summit between the leaders of India, Israel, the US and the UAE would also touch upon the global food crisis and the Ukraine war, officials said.

Takeaways for India in this tension with West Asia

This experience should be a learning curve for New Delhi — that selling a political narrative domestically that is separate from the one promoted internationally has severe limitations 

India-West Asia ties are mutually beneficial, and not hierarchical

In a connected and interdependent world, no country can be an island. So like most things in life, it is a two-way traffic 

Here's why India rushed to calm West Asia after fury over BJP spokespersons’ comments

Crude oil, growing trade, remittances and a large diaspora, there is a lot riding on India’s ties with West Asian countries which it can’t afford to offend

India-West Asia Ties | Indian migrants, businesses could be at the receiving end

India’s Ministry of External Affairs and other government machinery have the wherewithal to weather this storm at the diplomatic and political level. What is not fully known at this time is the backlash these statements will create at the local level across Islamic nations 

India-West Asia Ties | Government’s timely intervention should save the day

The controversy may die down now that the people who made the offensive comments have been suspended by the BJP, and because they do not hold any position in the government. Moreover, the government has quite rightly distanced itself from these remarks 

Ballistic missiles hit Iraq's Kurdish capital, no casualties: Officials

Residents of Erbil posted videos online showing several large explosions, and some said the blasts shook their homes

China’s growing influence in West Asia not a theory anymore — It’s a reality

The dash to China by West Asian power centres, specifically the Gulf and Iran, is ultimately ‘middle powers’ of the region committing realpolitik manoeuvring under the larger US-China competition architecture to achieve their strategic goals 

Through Iran nuclear talks, US balances Israel and China

For Washington, the path to the Indo-Pacific seems to run through West Asia