India's Stakes in West Asia
Diaspora, Energy, and Remittances
West Asia is India's most strategically important neighbourhood beyond South Asia. India's interests are underpinned by three pillars: the Indian diaspora, energy imports, and remittances.
- Approximately 90 lakh to 1 crore Indians live and work in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries — the largest concentration of the Indian diaspora globally.
- India's remittances from West Asia constitute a major share of its total inward remittances; India is the world's largest recipient of remittances (approximately $125 billion in 2023, as per World Bank data).
- Nearly two-thirds of India's crude oil imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
- India trades approximately $200 billion annually with Gulf countries.
- The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), announced at the G20 New Delhi Summit (2023), is a flagship connectivity initiative linking India to Europe via the Gulf.
● Tracked since March 09, 2026 · last seen April 08, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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