In the middle of a pandemic, the geopolitics of the world‘s most troubled region took a historic turn this week, when the UAE and Israel, under the benevolent gaze of US President Donald Trump, signed an agreement to ―normalise‖ relations. The deal opens up new opportunities for India to play a much larger role in the regional security and stability in the Gulf, where New Delhi enjoys special relations with both Abu Dhabi and Jerusalem. The barebones of the deal envisages establishing regular diplomatic relations between the UAE, the rising influential power in the Gulf, and Israel, the ―Incredible Hulk‖ of the region, but a country officially not on speaking terms with most of its Arab neighbours. In his first tweet, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed said: ‗During a call with President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, an agreement was reached to stop further Israeli annexation of Palestinian territories. The UAE and Israel also agreed to cooperation and setting a roadmap towards establishing a bilateral relationship.‖ In return, Israel agreed to ―suspend‖ its annexation plans for West Bank that would have been deeply destabilising. Benjamin Netanyahu gets a diplomatic victory, which may be short - lived, given the nature of Israeli politics. But Israel gets a diplomatic and economic opening with the big power in the Gulf that could open other doors, give its security interests legitimacy and, perhaps, open the door to Middle East peace.
Many of the other Arab powers, such as Oman, Bahrain, Egypt and Jordan, apart from the big global powers, and India, have welcomed the deal. Iran has slammed it, as have Turkey and Syria. Saudi Arabia has been very quiet. Given the close ties between Mohammed bin Zayed and Mohammed bin Salman, it is unthinkable that KSA was not consulted, particularly when the US is the third pole in this agreement. The deal gives UAE pole position as the premier Gulf Arab power, with diplomatic leverage with Israel and the US. ―This deal is about positioning in Washington, DC,‖ said James Dorsey, Gulf and Middle East expert.
Source: Excerpt from the Economic Times, written by Indrani Bagchi. (Dated – 16th August, 2020)
The peace deal between Israel and UAE can also be seen as a great opportunity for India in the Middle East region. Which of the following is not related to strategic goals of India in the Middle East?Correct Answer :
India should ensure space for Iran in any future security deal in the region.
Solution :
The correct answer is: India should ensure space for Iran in any future security deal in the region.
Explanation:
The passage discusses the historic normalization agreement between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel, facilitated by the United States. This diplomatic shift opens up new avenues for India, which maintains strong bilateral relations with both Abu Dhabi (UAE) and Jerusalem (Israel).
Analyzing the strategic context and options:
1. Revamping defense and security relations with the UAE aligns directly with India's interest in enhancing regional stability and maritime security in the Gulf.
2. Expanding economic footprints and securing markets in its extended neighborhood to counter growing Chinese geopolitical influence is a core strategic objective for India in the region.
3. As noted in the passage, Iran explicitly "slammed" the deal, standing in opposition to the emerging UAE-Israel security alignment. Active involvement in ensuring strategic space for Iran within regional security frameworks is complicated and directly opposes the primary alignment of the Abraham Accords. Therefore, ensuring space for Iran in future regional security deals is not a primary strategic goal related to leveraging this specific peace deal.
Thus, the statement regarding Iran is not related to India's strategic goals stemming from this peace agreement.
Access expert-curated educational resources and study materials—completely free.
Create, conduct, and manage professional online assessments with Mindyard. Perfect for teachers and institutes.
Copyright © 2026 Mindyard. All Rights Reserved.
