International Relation GS Paper - II by Viraj Rane

Model Answer

Question #1. With the large Indian migrants in the region, relations between India and the Gulf States have transformed from traditional buyer-seller relations to one based on people-to-people contacts. Discuss.

Approach:

• Give a quantitative estimate regarding Indian diaspora in gulf countries (25 words).
• Discuss the shift in India gulf policy with respect to diaspora.(100 words).
• Conclusion (25 words)

Hints:

India has the largest diaspora population in the world with 18 million people from the country living outside their homeland in 2020, according to a report by the United Nations, which says the UAE, the US and Saudi Arabia host the largest number of migrants from India. India’s large diaspora is distributed across the United Arab Emirates (3.5 million), the United States of America (2.7 million) and Saudi Arabia (2.5 million). Other countries hosting large numbers of Indian migrants included Australia, Canada, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar and the United Kingdom. This large diaspora in the gulf region has significant impact on our west Asia policy and shapes our responses to the events in the region.

Shift in India’s west Asia policy:

• Traditionally India’s west Asia policy is driven by its objective of energy security. Gulf region is the largest supplier of our energy needs and any disruption in the region significantly impacts our oil supplies and have cascading impact on the Indian economy.
• Large Indian diaspora act as a soft power agent in the region and known for their peaceful, tolerant and hard-working nature. This provides tangible benefits, such as making it easier for Middle Eastern governments to justify to their populations the expansion of ties with Delhi in sensitive areas like defense cooperation.
• The diaspora also builds upon, cements, and acts as a present-day reminder to the public in Middle Eastern countries of the historical and cultural links between the two regions. For example, Malabar coast of Kerla is the site of first interaction between India and people of Arabia carrying the massage of Islam. Diaspora is not only maintaining these historical linkages but also serves in deepening cultural ties between India and Gulf in contemporary times.
• Since large number of Indian workers in gulf diaspora belongs to semi-skilled category, Govt. of India has taken activities like Pravasi Bhartiya Kaushal Vikasyojana to not only improve their skill set but also coordinate with gulf countries to save workers from exploitative network of contractors and middle men.
• Now Govt of India also proactively protects its citizens during time of crisis as exemplified by Operation Raahat to evacuate Indian citizens during the 2015 military intervention by Saudi Arabia in Yaman.
• As the Gulf countries themselves are trying to diversifying their economies from oil based to more depending upon high technology, it is opening further space for high skilled Indian diaspora of engineers, doctors, scientist to enter gulf market and transform India gulf relations.
• In 2015 UAE government announced giving space for construction of Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi which the significance and importance gulf countries give to sensitivities of Indian diaspora.

Conclusion:

Relation between India and gulf states are growing progressively with Indian diaspora now act as the vehicle of this transformation. However growing tension in the gulf region like between Saudi Arabia and Qatar are signs that future is not going to be very smooth. Hence India needs to be proactive and vigilant to not fall in the internal divisions of gulf countries and protect its own strategic interest in the region as well as the welfare of its diaspora.

Question #2. The SCO provides India a convenient channel for its outreach, trade, and strategic ties, to Central Asian countries. Explain.

Approach:

• Introduce by giving a brief definition of SCO and when India joined the organization. (40 Words)
• Enumerate the opportunities that SCO provides India for engagement with Central Asian countries. (90 Words)
• Enumerate the hurdles India face within the organization (80 Words)
• Conclusion (40 Words)

Hints:

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a Eurasian political, economic organisation aiming to maintain peace, security and stability in the region. It was created in 2001. India became a member in 2017.

Currently, the SCO covers 40%of the global population, nearly 20% of the global GDP and 22% of the world’s land mass. 

Opportunities for India

• Natural resources:
  • The Central Asian region is richly endowed with vital minerals and natural resources.
  • With the landlocked states of Central Asia, and Uzbekistan even doubly landlocked, accessing these resources becomes difficult. SCO provides a convenient channel
• Energy security:
  • SCO has many energy-rich Central Asian countries and Russia.
  • It can help India cater its energy needs and prevent the Iran-US like situation and look for Iran’s alternatives.
  • It can help India in the construction of the TAPI pipeline to fulfill its natural gas needs.
• Economic potential:
  • SCO can be used as a route to assess the markets of the member countries and other Central Asian countries for India’s IT, telecommunications, banking, finance and pharmaceutical industries.
  • The members can work together to formulate a Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union.
• Foreign Policies:
  • India has an opportunity to play an active role in the diplomacy of its extended neighbourhood.
  • It will help India to be a major pan-Asian player, which is currently boxed in the South Asian Region.
  • China, Pakistan and Russia are already in engagement with the Taliban. India can volunteer to work upon a stable solution for the Afghanistan crisis, much needed for peace in the region.
• Contain Terrorism:
  • India is its major victim of state-sponsored Terrorism.
  • India can utilise Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) in gaining vital intelligence inputs on the movement of terror outfits, drug-trafficking, cyber security and Public information of the region.

Challenges faced by India at the SCO:

• India’s limited influence: India’s ability to assert itself would be limited and it may have to play second fiddle since China and Russia are co-founders of SCO and its dominant powers.
• Balancing act: India may also have to either dilute its growing partnership with the West or engage in a delicate balancing act – as SCO has traditionally adopted an anti-Western posture.
• Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
  • India has expressed its strict reservations against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC) and has not accepted the BRI of China.
  • Since, all the group members except India have endorsed BRI, it makes India standalone on its position.
• China-Pakistan axis
  • China’s strategic and economic interests may keep its alignments closer with Pakistan and this will prove detrimental for India

Conclusion

Group diplomacy is always more complex than bilateral diplomacy. With SCO, influence of China is overwhelming supported by other members, especially Pakistan. With Taliban now in seat of power in Kabul, it will be further challenging and therefore necessary for India to engage in groupdiplomacy. If India is not able to exploit the economic potential of the region, its inclusion to the organisation will be a missed opportunity. SCO provides a great opportunity for promotion of India’s regional interests for ensuring sustainable nation-building through development partnerships, maintaining sovereignty, and preventing the region from being a hub of terrorism and extremism.