India should have stepped into vacuum left by U.S. as guarantor of security in West Asia: Talmiz Ahmad

Talmiz Ahmad, former ambassador to Oman, UAE and Saudi Arabia and professor of International Studies at Symbiosis International University, Pune, said India should step into the void if the US, which plays a dominant role as the guarantor of security in the West Asian region, loses its credibility in the region. He was speaking at the hosted Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS). Hindu Diplomacy and Sustainability Dialogues 2026.

Speaking on ‘India’s Diplomatic Balance in West Asia: Strategic Autonomy, Energy Security and Global Responsibility’ on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, the former Ambassador said, “India is not a serious role player when it comes to West Asia and the crisis of the last two and a half years.”

Responding to a question posed by Diplomatic Editor Suhasini Haidar, HinduExplaining how he evaluated India’s policy towards the region in the context of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UAE, former ambassador Ahmad said: “Our approach over the last few years has been to establish bilateral relations with countries in the region that are transactional. We do not have a collective view on the region and do not want to play any role in promoting security and stability there.”

Replying to a question on whether India is pursuing a “balanced” West Asia policy, former Ambassador to UAE and Maldives and IIM Ahmedabad Distinguished Fellow Sunjay Sudhir said the policy is quite “pragmatic”.

“Because we have interests across the region, from Israel to the Gulf Cooperation Council to Iran. To balance these interests, the approach needs to be pragmatic. The visit to the UAE is an important statement in itself. Half of our diaspora in the region is in this country and we have a large amount of trade and Foreign Direct Investment.”

Commenting on India’s role in the crisis in West Asia, Gulshan Sachdeva, Head of Jean Monnet School of International Studies, JNU, said that India took sides in West Asia even before the war started.

“I would say that our assessment was not really correct. We thought that it was going to be a short and an easy war and they (US and Israel) were going to win. We are trying to, perhaps, balance since then…” he said, adding, “Our one relationship with Israel should not become a liability, not only in West Asia, but in the entire global south. In the long run, things are going to settle.”

TC Karthikeyan, professor of Politics and International Relations, Director, Center for Public Policy and Management, Saveetha Law School, added: “When nations face economic challenges, some people may come forward saying they can offer all the solutions. We must be wary of the emergence of dictatorships. India must play the role of a facilitator who is principled and committed to the international rules-based order.”