Listen | 'India Has Substantial Bilateral Ties With Each Gulf Country Individually'

The UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi made a quick dash to New Delhi some days ago and there has been a lot of speculation what was the agenda of his meeting with Prime minister Narendra Modi.

“What he would have come to discuss with India would be the situation in the region,” the situation after the temporary lull in violence after the end of the Gaza war, says diplomat Talmiz Ahmed, one of the best known experts of the region. And, “he would have explained to the prime minister the divide that has now emerged between Saudi Arabia and the UAE,” Ahmad, a former Ambassador to both the countries said in a podcast discussion with Sidharth Bhatia.

Speaking about the frayed relations between the UAE and Saudi Arabia, when both were supposed to be close at one time, he explained: “Saudi Arabia sees itself as not a first among equals. It sees itself as the leader of the GCC."

And now more recently, it sees itself as the leader of the Arab world. “So this camaraderie that you are talking about had already started getting diluted,” soon after Prince Muhammed bin Salman emerged in the forefront in his country and then became Prime Minister.

What would India’s position be in this situation? India has strong economic ties with both countries and Saudi Arabia is the largest petroleum supplier. “India's approach to the Gulf, as I have said many times, is bilateral and transactional. This means that we have very substantial ties with each country of the region, individually,” he said.

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