India’s unprecedented love-in with the Middle East
Amid a war Narendra Modi builds new Gulf ties
AS A FLEX of India’s newfound geopolitical muscle, it was hard to top. Visiting the Middle East this week Narendra Modi stopped first in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he signed an investment treaty, headlined a rally of 40,000 Indian expatriates and opened a vast new Hindu temple. Then India’s prime minister headed to nearby Qatar, having just secured the release of eight Indians jailed there for espionage. All the while, a dozen Indian navy ships were in nearby waters, helping to protect global shipping under threat from pirates and Houthi missiles.
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This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Ever closer”
Asia February 17th 2024
From the February 17th 2024 edition
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A new president with Marxist roots now dominates parliament too
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A good news story? Maybe