The United States and China are frequently brought up when discussing other regional powers in the Middle East, however, India also plays a role in the geopolitical dynamics within the region. With its long-standing linkages in economics, culture, and religion, India has long had a significant presence in the area. But as New Delhi has been interacting on political, diplomatic, and security fronts lately, this has taken a more strategic tone. In this episode, We are joined by Raja Mohan, a Senior Fellow with the Asia Society Policy Institute in Delhi. He will share with us his knowledge about India’s role in geopolitics in the Middle East as well as the perspective of New Delhi on the influence of the US-China tug-of-war within the region. He will also discuss India's relations with some states in the region and provide some insights about maritime security in the Indian Ocean and the growing influence of mixed cultures in the Gulf. Takeaways An overview of India’s interest in the Middle East and the shift toward the Gulf region New Delhi's Viewpoint on the India-US-China Triangle in the Middle East The India - China relationship in the recent decade The geopolitical play of Iran, India, Pakistan, and GCC in the Indian Ocean The growing partnership between India and the Gulf The perspective of the geopolitical forces in Asia Quotes We'd rather have the Americans sit on our hands for good than the Chinese. - Raja Mohan India faces challenges from China's growing presence in the Himalayas and the Indian Ocean, where China has established relationships with key island states. This requires India to work with Western partners. - Raja Mohan Featured in the Episode Jonathan Fulton Nonresident Senior Fellow for Middle East Programs at the Atlantic Council. Assistant Professor of Political Science at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi Profile: https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/expert/jonathan-fulton/ Linkedin: https://ae.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-fulton-2627414b Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonathandfulton Raja Mohan Senior Fellow with the Asia Society Policy Institute in Delhi Profile: https://asiasociety.org/policy-institute/c-raja-mohan Twitter: https://twitter.com/MohanCRaja Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:25 An overview of India’s interest in the Middle East 09:11 India’s shift into the Gulf region 13:12 The I2U2 Group and India’s approach to the Middle East 15:34 New Delhi’s perspective on the India-US-China Triangle in the Middle East 21:04 The India-China relationship today 26:00 The assessment of the China-Iran relationship 28:53 The maritime security in the Indian Ocean 31:32 Geopolitics of Iran, India, Pakistan, and the GCC 34:52 India and the Gulf’s growing partnership 38:01 Integrating different cultures and people in the Middle East 40:20 Balancing Geopolitical forces in Asia 42:27 Conclusion Produced by Heartcast Media www.heartcastmedia.com