The New West-Asian Quad

The Abraham Accords, which opened the door for trilateral cooperation between India, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates, produced the grouping named International Forum for Economic Cooperation. The summit, also known as the "I2U2," was attended by the presidents of the US and the UAE (U2) as well as the prime ministers of India and Israel (I2). The US President Biden, who is making his first trip to the Middle East as president, hosted this international meeting in Jerusalem, and the officials from India and the UAE participated virtually. [1] This new alliance is taking place against these current rising political and economic concerns, high inflation, skyrocketing food and fuel prices, and a pandemic that upended long-standing corporate practices.

IMPORTANCE OF I2U2-

The I2U2 was first described as 'an international conference for business cooperation' in a news release from Israel, which was the host nation of the summit. This alliance is intended to promote cooperative investments in six jointly recognised sectors, including water, energy, transportation, space, health, and food security. As per the joint official statement, the summit aims to mobilise resources and funding from the private sector to support infrastructure modernisation, clean energy development for the industry, public health advancement, and the creation of vital new green technologies in these countries. The alliance also intended to promote public health, mobilise business sector money and skills, and foster more inter-Middle Eastern human interaction. Along with assuring short and long-term food and energy security, it also aims to develop innovative waste treatment solutions, investigate cooperative financing options, link our startups to I2U2 investments, and encourage the development of vital emerging and green technologies. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to using mature markets to develop more creative, inclusive, and evidence-based solutions to improve food security and the sustainability of food systems. They reaffirmed that these are only the initial stages of a long-term strategic alliance to support projects and investments that enhance the flow of people and things across hemispheres, boost sustainability, and boost resilience through cooperative scientific and technology alliances. [2] The Abraham Accords, which the Trump administration mediated two years ago to improve relations between Israel and Arab nations, including Bahrain, the UAE, and Morocco, provided the impetus to form the I2U2. This bloc can be said to have followed in the footsteps of QUAD or the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, often known as an anti-China alliance. But this recent informal bloc heavily focuses on expanding trade and political cooperation in the Middle East and South Asian region. The brief joint statement from this West Asian Quad showed a firm promise of progressively establishing the credibility of being focused on geoeconomics. 

RELEVANCE IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD POLITICS-

This West Asian Quad has laid out numerous opportunities for these four participant countries. Like, it presents a chance for the UAE to gain an advantage in the Persian Gulf and become strategically more influential. The US, Israel, and India will form an economic alliance to improve the UAE's standing in West Asia. The union also offers Israel another chance to strengthen relations with the Arab world. As for India, it would focus on furthering its economic and political relations with the US, UAE, and Israel.

India is now seen as the huge consumer market, allowing chances for the other three to spend their financial and technical resources as well as their experience, even though all four of these nations are technology centres. The President of the UAE has committed to investing $2 billion in creating integrated food parks in India at the I2U2 summit. The UAE is home to the International Renewable Energy Agency and will host the COP28 climate conference in 2023. To combat food poverty in their respective regions, Israel and the US will provide climate-smart technology and know-how to decrease food waste, preserve water, and use renewable energy. The partnership would aid India in constructing a 300-megawatt hybrid renewable energy facility (using both wind and solar power). [3] These nations are all centres of science and technology. In each of these nations, biotechnology is also widely used. Israel is already referred to be a startup nation. Additionally, India has been expanding its startup environment. UAE also understands that the future of the global economy won't be based only on fossil fuels like oil and gas. It must also function in the field of technology. Then, these four nations must work together to address and lessen the effects on food security and safety, which is also a concern of today.

CHALLENGES FOR I2U2-

Both the Trump and Biden administrations have shifted to multilateral soft-balancing, and the US presence in the Middle East has been gradually reduced. However, it won't be extremely simple or easy for the four I2U2 nations to stay on course and get over their differences, given that each has its own political and historical baggage. The I2U2 appears to be a group of improbable nations whose current foreign policies if pursued, would cause divisions rather than bring the nations together in the ever-changing world of international politics. Political and strategic approaches toward Russia, China, and Iran are just a few important foreign policy issues that might come up as challenges. For instance, the other three members of the I2U2, Israel, India, and the UAE, aside from the United States, have not gone forward with any Western sanctions against Russia. In reality, they have even kept up their amicable relations with Moscow. The US and India are bringing in Israel and the United Arab Emirates, two countries with mutually beneficial trade and commerce relations with China. Here, India must also consider China's presence, which has been growing throughout the Middle East. Then, there is also Iran's proxy conflict with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen are all affected by the Shia-Sunni war between Iran and Saudi Arabia. In comparison, India has always tried to maintain positive relationships with Iran and other West Asian nations despite the region's complexity. These concerns might become hurdles when this bloc tries to integrate the two separate strategic contexts: the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.

IMPLICATIONS ON INDIA-

In actuality, India has been working with the I2U2 Group's members on an individual level for quite some time; nevertheless, this is their first attempt at a multilateral project. The US has consistently been India's top trading partner, and there has always been speculation about how much more commerce there might be between the two countries, from its present worth of just over $100 billion to $500 billion. Similarly, India recently finalized a free-trade agreement with the UAE, which is its third-largest trading partner, that is anticipated to expand their bilateral trade from the present commerce of $59 billion to $100 billion in the next five years. Indians make up the largest expat community in the UAE, around 28% of the population. [4] The UAE declared during the conference that it would spend 2 million dollars on Indian agricultural projects, which will provide the land. The plan will also be financed by the private US and Israeli companies. The Free Trade Agreement talks between India and Israel are also well along, and the two countries' relations have been much stronger in recent years. Israel is now India's top defence supplier, and the two countries' bilateral commerce increased from $200 million in 1992, when India officially opened an embassy in Tel Aviv, to $6.35 billion last year. [5] India has become a significant export of agricultural goods due to the epidemic and the Ukrainian crisis. The I2U2 interventions are anticipated to increase India's storage capacity for renewable energy and food, utilising cutting-edge technologies. The main goal seems to be to increase the decentralisation and intermittency of power generation and storage to deeply penetrate India's national electrical system while ensuring price stability. Additionally, this promises to assist India in achieving its goals of reducing emissions to zero by 2070 and increasing its renewable energy production to 500 gigawatts by 2030. [6] Given that one of the six objectives is to improve transportation, the West Asian bloc also shifts attention to the Western Indian Ocean, where China's influence is expanding and becoming a security danger to India in its backyard. The region is also strategically significant because of associated concerns, including terrorism, illicit drug and weapon smuggling, and maritime piracy. [7] India and the US are significant participants in the Western Indian Ocean due to their naval presence and strategic involvement. In reality, the Indian Navy regards the WIO as an area of interest.

CONCLUSION-

The I2U2 makes one more attempt to investigate alternate templates for resolving the developing difficulties around the world, including the pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine crisis, the inflation, the situation of South Asian economies and so on. Each of the four nations' skills and interests complements one another and in order to maximise its strategic possibilities, this new Quad is likely to encourage increased involvement with the six mentioned areas. The I2U2 is a win-win situation for all parties involved. In terms of collaboration with West Asia, India has to take a more active role. Through collaboration among the four nations, it will be possible to diplomatically and strategically balance the competitor nations in order to maintain cordial ties. This alliance does not only mean that the countries will support each other but also actively invest in each other’s economies. The US President Joe Biden wants to maintain US presence in the Gulf and prevent China and Russia from gaining the commercial advantage. The wealthy Gulf states have long been courted by the US. As a significant OPEC member, the UAE can contribute to limiting the price of Russian oil. A four-member deal for commerce and investments does look like a good deal. The bloc also aims to create a bridge among allies in the West Asian and South Asian region. Even though the West Asia Quad has just been born and is very symbolic, this might lead to certain vital developments in international relations. But we have to wait and watch how it pans out.

REFERENCES-

[1] Staff, N. (2022, July 14). Explained: Why the new grouping I2U2 is not a West Asian Quad. NEWS9LIVE. https://www.news9live.com/world/explained-why-the-new-grouping-i2u2-is-not-a-west-asian-quad-182479

[2] Joint Statement of the Leaders of India, Israel, United Arab Emirates, and the United States (I2U2). (n.d.). from https://mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/35492/Joint_Statement_of_the_Leaders_of_India_Israel_United_Arab_Emirates_and_the_United_States_I2U2

[3] Singh, S. (2022, July 15). New ‘West Asian Quad’ makes bold promises. Asia Times. https://asiatimes.com/2022/07/new-west-asian-quad-makes-bold-promises/

[4] Agencies. (2022, July 15). US, India, Israel, UAE form ‘West Asian Quad.’ The Daily Star. https://www.thedailystar.net/middle-east/news/us-india-israel-uae-form-west-asian-quad-3070821

[5] What Are India’s Compulsions Behind Latest Push For West Asian Quad? (2022, June 29). Https://Www.Outlookindia.Com/. https://www.outlookindia.com/national/what-are-india-s-compulsions-behind-latest-push-for-west-asian-quad--news-205625

[6] With the world in ‘turmoil’, a new ‘Quad’ comes into place. (n.d.) from https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2022/7/14/with-the-world-in-turmoil-a-new-quad-comes-into-place

[7] West Asia Quad? PM Narendra Modi to attend I2U2 virtual summit with leaders of US, Israel, UAE on July 14. (n.d.). from https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/west-asia-quad-pm-narendra-modi-to-attend-i2u2-virtual-summit-with-leaders-of-us-israel-uae-on-july-14

Pic Courtsey-Dimitry Anikin at unsplash.com

(The views expressed are thsoe fo the author and do not represent views of CESCUBE.)