Navigating A Complex Terrain: India's Strategic Engagements with West Asia During the NDA Government

Navigating a Complex Terrain: India's Strategic Engagements with West Asia during the NDA Government is a compelling exploration of how India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, has deepened its ties with one of the world's most dynamic and complex regions. This book brings to life the cultural connections and shared histories that underpin India's strategic engagement with West Asia, offering a fresh perspective on what diplomacy truly means in today's interconnected world.

The book unpacks India's efforts to strengthen its bonds with the Gulf nations, driven by energy security, trade, and the lives of millions of Indian expatriates. The narrative also takes readers into the heart of India's balancing act in the Israel-Palestine conflict. It reflects on its historical solidarity with Palestine while exploring the deepening partnerships with Israel in defence, technology, and counterterrorism. It also sheds light on the challenges of navigating ties with Iran amid global tensions and competing interests. From bolstering its partnership with Iran through transformative projects like the Chabahar Port to tackling maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean, the book showcases how India is harnessing its historic ties while navigating the complexities of a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape.

This book doesn't shy away from the tough questions, examining the ripple effects of political turmoil, maritime threats, and India's competition with powers like China. At its core, Navigating a Complex Terrain reveals how India's West Asia policy is not just about strategy-it's about building bridges between people, fostering shared growth, and envisioning a future of mutual respect and cooperation.

Shameer Modongal is a Fulbright Nehru Postdoctoral Research Fellow and a Visiting Scholar in Residence at the School of International Studies, American University, Washington DC. He previously taught MA West Asian Studies at the University of Kerala and completed his PhD at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi. Dr. Modongal has published six books, including Islamic Perspectives on International Conflict Resolution: Theological Debates on the Israel-Palestinian Peace Process (Routledge, 2022) and Religion and Nuclear Weapons: A Study of Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan (Vij Books, 2022). In 2024, he released a book in Malayalam titled Palestine-Israel: Religion and Politics. He has edited three volumes on global security, Palestine, and women's empowerment, and he serves as an editor/reviewer for international journals such as the British Journal of Political Science and Cogent Social Sciences.

Ashly K Ramachandran is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Islamic and West Asian Studies at the University of Kerala. She holds a Master's, MPhil, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Islamic History from the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram. Since 2019, she has been teaching MA West Asian Studies at the University of Kerala. Dr. Ramachandran has published numerous articles and has presented papers at both national and international conferences. Her edited book, Women Empowerment: Issues and Challenges, will be published soon by New Century Publications. She has also completed several project works, contributing to research on gender studies, media stereotypes, and women's empowerment, among other areas.