India, May 6 -- India's engagement with West Asia during the tenure of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has been strategic and deeply pragmatic, anchored in a multipolar vision that elevates India from a peripheral actor to a pivotal influencer in the region. The Link West policy, a strategic complement to the Act East initiative, captures the essence of this pivot, reorienting India's ties with West Asian nations through a dynamic blend of diplomacy, economic partnerships, defence cooperation, and cultural kinship.

West Asia supplies nearly half of India's crude oil, and is home to over nine million Indian expatriates, whose remittances play a crucial role in India's economy. Traditionally, India's engagement with the region was shaped...