The ‘West Asia Quad’ (I2U2) and India’s ‘Look West’ Policy: Strategic Alignment in a Changing Regional Order
Abstract
The formation of the I2U2 grouping—comprising India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the United States—represents a significant shift in the strategic landscape of West Asia (Middle East) and marks the institutionalization of minilateral diplomacy in the region. This initiative aligns closely with and advances the objectives of India’s ‘Look West’ policy, which seeks to deepen strategic, economic, and security ties with West Asian countries. Amid shifting alliances, Abraham Accords-led normalization, and U.S. retrenchment from regional policing, India’s participation in I2U2 reflects its efforts to enhance regional connectivity, ensure energy security, promote technological cooperation, and assert its strategic autonomy. This essay examines how the emergence of I2U2 complements India’s ‘Look West’ vision in the evolving geopolitical order.
1. Introduction: India’s ‘Look West’ Policy in Strategic Perspective
Launched in the mid-2000s and gaining coherence under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ‘Look West’ policy aims to complement India’s long-standing ‘Look East’ (now Act East) initiative. It involves engaging more deeply with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, Israel, Iran, and other West Asian actors across strategic, economic, and cultural dimensions.
Key aims of the policy include:
- Securing energy supplies and economic interests.
- Enhancing diaspora welfare.
- Expanding defense and intelligence cooperation.
- Projecting India as a balancing power in the Gulf and beyond.
The emergence of the I2U2 grouping in 2022 represents a significant platform through which these objectives can be realized more effectively.
2. The Strategic Genesis of I2U2 (India–Israel–UAE–USA)
I2U2, sometimes referred to as the ‘West Asia Quad’, is a minilateral forum launched with the following aims:
- Promote economic cooperation and infrastructure development.
- Enhance collaboration in food security, water resources, renewable energy, space, and technology.
- Foster regional connectivity, resilience, and innovation ecosystems.
The grouping reflects a post-Abraham Accords regional order, where Israel and key Arab states normalize relations, the U.S. seeks to retain influence through strategic partnerships, and India leverages its growing global role to expand its West Asian footprint.
3. I2U2 and the Objectives of India’s ‘Look West’ Policy
3.1. Economic Diplomacy and Technology Partnerships
One of the central pillars of I2U2 is collaborative investment in infrastructure, agriculture, clean energy, and technology. For India, this aligns perfectly with the economic goals of the ‘Look West’ policy:
- Food corridor projects involving Indian expertise and Emirati capital help address domestic food security and regional supply chain integration.
- Renewable energy cooperation—especially in solar and hydrogen—enhances India’s energy transition goals, in line with initiatives like ISA (International Solar Alliance).
- Collaboration with Israel in agriculture technology (agritech), water conservation, and digital health complements India’s developmental priorities and innovation goals.
Thus, I2U2 serves as an economic multiplier for India’s West Asia engagement, allowing it to pursue issue-based partnerships without full-spectrum alignment.
3.2. Strategic Autonomy and Regional Balancing
India’s foreign policy emphasizes strategic autonomy, particularly in a multipolar order. I2U2 provides a platform to engage with multiple poles—the U.S., UAE, and Israel—without being locked into alliance obligations.
- India’s participation in I2U2 does not compromise its independent ties with Iran, as the forum remains non-military and development-focused.
- It allows India to counterbalance the growing influence of China in West Asia, particularly through BRI-linked infrastructure projects and security partnerships.
I2U2, therefore, advances India’s goal of being a bridge-builder and balancer in West Asia rather than a partisan actor.
3.3. Enhancing India’s Role in Regional Multilateralism
I2U2 represents a shift from traditional multilateralism (like the Non-Aligned Movement or NAM) to functional, theme-based minilateralism. This format allows India to:
- Bypass regional conflicts (e.g., Iran–Saudi or Israel–Palestine) and focus on constructive agenda-setting.
- Demonstrate its capacity to shape global public goods in health, energy, and climate governance.
- Amplify its voice in emerging regional architectures, especially as the U.S. recalibrates its presence in the region.
Through I2U2, India projects its rising global stature, which reinforces its broader ambitions for leadership in the Global South and forums like the G20 and BRICS.
3.4. Diaspora and Soft Power Diplomacy
The Indian diaspora—especially in the UAE and other Gulf countries—is a central vector of India’s ‘Look West’ policy. I2U2 enhances this by:
- Facilitating investment flows and business opportunities for Indian-origin entrepreneurs.
- Enhancing visa mobility, labor welfare, and educational exchanges under a collaborative framework.
- Strengthening people-to-people ties with Israel and the UAE through cooperative ventures.
This contributes to soft power projection and makes India a more integral player in West Asia’s socio-economic fabric.
4. Complementarities with Other Initiatives
I2U2 aligns with and complements other regional and global initiatives:
- It intersects with India’s vision for connectivity via Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
- It complements India’s Indo-Pacific strategy, with I2U2 serving as its western maritime arm, linking with eastward engagements through QUAD and BIMSTEC.
- It supports the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) announced at the G20 Summit in 2023, adding logistical and trade synergies.
These complementarities create a multidirectional web of strategic engagement, expanding India’s West Asian and transregional influence.
5. Challenges and Limitations
Despite its promise, I2U2 faces limitations that could constrain India’s ambitions:
- Iran’s exclusion may limit the effectiveness of regional connectivity efforts, especially given Iran’s geographical and strategic centrality.
- India must carefully balance its relations with rival West Asian actors, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Israel, without appearing partial.
- U.S. domestic politics and global retrenchment strategies may affect I2U2’s long-term consistency and commitment.
- Regional volatility—particularly with the Israeli–Palestinian conflict or Iran–Israel tensions—can undercut the cooperative environment necessary for I2U2 projects.
Thus, while I2U2 is an enabling structure, it requires diplomatic agility, sustained investment, and strategic foresight.
6. Conclusion: A New Pillar of the ‘Look West’ Vision
The emergence of I2U2 marks a strategic inflection point in India’s engagement with West Asia. It operationalizes the ‘Look West’ policy by providing a functional, issue-based, and economically-driven platform for regional engagement, while also aligning with India’s global ambitions and principles of strategic autonomy.
Through I2U2, India not only strengthens ties with key regional powers but also positions itself as a responsible stakeholder in shaping the emerging multipolar world order. While challenges persist, India’s proactive diplomacy within I2U2 reflects a mature and multidimensional foreign policy, one that seeks collaborative advantage rather than bloc politics in an era of flexible alignments.
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