India–Arab Relations: From Historical Context to Contemporary Dynamics traces the deep linkages that exist between the Arab world and the Indian subcontinent, historically as well as culturally, examining the process of their transformation in the modern era. Trade and intellectual exchanges have always taken centre stage between the regions, slowly developing into a contemporary strategic partnership shaped by energy, security, migration, diaspora, and diplomacy. The present volume highlights the continuities and shifts in their relations across centuries, through various incidents that have shaped their current status. By locating India’s recent ‘Look West’ and ‘Go West’ policies within broader regional dynamics, the volume offers valuable insights on international relations, West Asia studies, and India’s foreign policy.

Contents:

Acknowledgements

Introduction by Nasir Raza Khan

PART I: EMERGING TRENDS AND REGIONAL ASPECTS

1. India and the Arab World: Status and Scope of Free Trade Agreements by Muhammad Azhar
2. Comprehensive and Strategic Partnership of India and the United Arab Emirates: Opportunities and Challenges in the Twenty-First Century by Reshmi Kazi
3. India–Oman Relations: A Cultural Perspective from the First Quarter of the Twenty-First Century by Mohammad Ajmal
4. The Soft Power of Indian Cinema and Its Reception in the Arab World by Manorama Kuntal

PART II: INDIA, CHINA, AND THE ARAB WORLD

5. India, China, and the Arab Economy by Muhammad Azhar
6. India and the Gulf States: Regional Security and ‘Minilateralism’ in the Western Indian Ocean Amidst the China Factor by Oorja Tapan
7. China–Arab Ties through the Belt and Road Initiative by Fazzur Rahman Siddiqui
8. China’s West Asia Engagement: Economic Interests and Smart Power by Vrushal T. Ghoble

PART III: SOCIO-CULTURAL RELATIONS

9. India’s Sustainable Engagement with the Arab World by Vaishali Krishna
10. India’s Soft Power Diplomacy in the Modi Era: Reaching Out to West Asia by H.A. Nazmi
11. Prospects of Environmental Peacebuilding in Post-ISIS Iraq by Sweta Basak

PART IV: HISTORICAL ASPECTS

12. Ports and People of Arabia: Impressions of European Merchants and Travellers in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries by Nishat Manzar
13. An Analytical Study of the Indo–Arab Relationship in the Eighth Century: Primary Sources and Modern Interpretations by G. Ahmad Raza
14. Unsung Muslims in the Indian Freedom Struggle: Looking through Vernacular Sources by Ahsan Raza

PART V: EXPLORING LINKAGES

15. Exploring the Connecting Link: Insights into the Contribution of Muhammad ibn Zakariya Al-Razi to Medical Science by Ashaq Hussain
16. Shared Religious Dimensions of Indo–Arab Traditions: From Early Asceticism in the Arabian World to Consolidation of Sufi Orders in India by Hannan Shireen Saleem
17. Spiritual Syncretism as Soft Power: India–Central Asia Religious Linkages through History by Ritika Joshi and Mahesh Ranjan Debata

Notes on Editor and Contributors

Index