NEW DELHI: Narendra Modi's visit to the United Arab Emiratres on August 16-17 comes over three decades after an Indian Prime Minister's trip there last. Even as the BJP's
West Asia policy has always been perceived as tilted towards Israel vis-a-is the conflict in the region, Modi visit is being seen as a shift in the party's understanding in a fast changing world scenario as also a synchronising effort to put on a more cosmopolitan
appearance.
As regards the Government's foreign policy, the Prime Minister's Gulf visit, apart from being an attempt to build new bridges with the age-old trading partners to facilitate liberal investment in India's infrastructure development, must also be seen as a part of the new strategy of the Government of India under the new dispensation to ensure regional security by checkmating emerging twin threats. There will be need for joint
operations against new threat from Islamic State militants. The other being the clandestine Chinese forays.
The prime ministerial visit is also in line with the party's new-found perception of what international relations is all about - trade and security - unlike how foreign relations had been dealt with like pomp and show since independence much to the disadvantage of
the country.
This is also an opportunity for the party to capture a new domestic constituency through the Indian diaspora in West Asia.
The gamut of problems of Indians in the Gulf touch upon the basic economic issues back home, unlike the case with the migrants in developed countries. And they are there in large numbers, mostly as labourers, about 60 lakhs in the Gulf region, almost half of them being in the UAE. India needs to study their hostile conditions. And, why are they there!
SEE DETAILS: Modi to visit Abu Dhabi, Dubai
About United Arab Emirates, a federation of seven sheikhdoms
Modi to visit Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi
