{"id":3600,"date":"2026-08-11T22:12:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T16:42:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/psir\/notes\/afghanistan-iraq-and-west-asia\/"},"modified":"2026-08-12T02:56:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T21:26:55","slug":"afghanistan-iraq-and-west-asia","status":"publish","type":"psir_note","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/psir\/notes\/afghanistan-iraq-and-west-asia\/","title":{"rendered":"Afghanistan, Iraq and West Asia"},"content":{"rendered":"
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PSIR Notes<\/a>\u203a<\/span>II-B India and the World<\/a>\u203a<\/span>Afghanistan, Iraq and West Asia<\/span><\/div>\n
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Paper I \u00b7 India and the World<\/div>\n

Afghanistan, Iraq and West Asia<\/h1>\n
Syllabus \u00b7 Paper II-B \u00b7 8<\/b> \u2014 Recent developments in Indian Foreign Policy : India\u2019s position on the recent crises in Afghanistan, Iraq and West Asia<\/span>, growing relations with US and Isreal; Vision of a new world order.<\/div>\n<\/header>\n
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The Setting \u2014 India\u2019s Western Arc<\/h3>\n

India\u2019s western neighbourhood \u2014 the Gulf, the wider West Asia and Afghanistan \u2014 carries the country\u2019s energy lifeline, its largest diaspora, and its most active theatre of great-power contestation.<\/p>\n

West Asia holds 47.7%<\/span> of the world\u2019s oil and 42.7%<\/span> of natural gas; more than 60%<\/span> of the world\u2019s oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz<\/span> (Chinnaya R Gharekhian<\/span>).<\/p>\n

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\u201c\u2026to shed a drop of blood for every drop of oil.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Winston Churchill<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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\u201cAn attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of America and will be repelled by any means necessary including military force.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Jimmy Carter, January 1980 (the Carter Doctrine)<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

India\u2019s engagement has moved from an ideologically-driven Non-Aligned posture to one built on pragmatism<\/span> and strategic autonomy<\/span>. Two phrases mark the shift: S. Jaishankar<\/span>\u2019s \u201cThink West and Act East,\u201d and the \u201cLook West\u201d \/ \u201cLink and Act West\u201d turn under Narendra Modi<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Organising principle today<\/span><\/p>\n

Independent, issue-based partnerships with each country \u2014 Arab Gulf, Israel and Iran \u2014 without being trapped by their rivalries or by the prism of Pakistan.<\/p>\n

Why West Asia Matters \u2014 Five Stakes<\/h3>\n
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Stake<\/th>\nSubstance<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Geo-strategic<\/span><\/td>\nProximity to India\u2019s western border \u2014 an extended neighbourhood directly affecting security; the Arabian Sea a bridge, regional stability a precondition for India\u2019s own.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Geo-economic<\/span><\/td>\nNearly two-thirds of oil from GCC<\/span> states (import dependency above 80%<\/span> in 2018); diaspora over 7 million<\/span> (some estimates ~8 million); remittances of roughly US$40 billion<\/span> a year; sea-lane security across the Gulf, Red Sea and Indian Ocean.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Maritime<\/span><\/td>\nAs the US security role evolves, space opens for India \u2014 the Navy\u2019s anti-piracy work in the Gulf of Aden; presence near Hormuz<\/span> and Bab-el-Mandeb<\/span>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Internal security<\/span><\/td>\nReligious extremism and groups like ISIS pose spillover risk to domestic stability.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Geopolitical<\/span><\/td>\nHigher growth needs a peaceful periphery; India balances Saudi Arabia, Iran and Israel at once to prevent escalation that could hit global markets.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Expert readings<\/span><\/p>\n