India's Gulf Balancing Act Gets A Parliament Check-In

Around 10 million Indians live and work across the Gulf, making the region a critical part of India's foreign policy and economic interests. The welfare and safety of the Indian expats, energy security, connectivity and diplomatic engagement with Middle Eastern countries were among the issues discussed at a meeting of the Consultative Committee of Parliament for External Affairs on Monday, according to sources. The committee met to review India's relations with countries in the region, with the discussion coming against the backdrop of continuing tensions in the Middle East. The welfare of the Indian expats was a key focus of the briefing. Large Indian communities live and work in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, making their safety and welfare an important consideration whenever tensions escalate in the region. Read: "They Torture Me Here": Tamil Nadu Woman's Desperate SOS From Kuwait According to sources, the government briefed the panel on measures taken over the past several months to safeguard the interests of Indians in the Gulf. Energy security was another major area of discussion. India remains heavily dependent on imports for its crude oil and natural gas requirements, with the Gulf serving as a major source. Sources said India has secured important supply arrangements in recent months, amid concerns over the impact that disruptions to shipping routes and energy supplies in the region could have on the Indian economy. Any prolonged disruption to oil and gas supplies or shipping routes could have implications for fuel prices, inflation and the wider economy. Connectivity between India and the Gulf was also discussed. India has been working with Gulf countries to strengthen links for the movement of goods, people and capital, as economic ties between the two sides have expanded beyond traditional energy trade. The relationship now spans trade, defence, technology, infrastructure and investment, making connectivity an increasingly important component of India's engagement with the region. On the diplomatic front, sources said political engagement between India and Gulf countries has increased in recent months, with regular high-level contacts continuing amid the evolving situation in the Middle East. The meeting underscored the breadth of India's interests in the Gulf, where the government is simultaneously seeking to protect a large Indian expat community, maintain energy security, strengthen economic connectivity and sustain diplomatic engagement with key regional partners.