India's West Asia Diplomacy in Transition: The Strategic Significance of I2U2 (India, Israel, United States, and United Arab Emirates)

Abstract India’s diplomacy in West Asia has historically turned around energy dependence, diaspora connections, and complex geopolitical balancing. Today, though, this engagement is undergoing a significant transition, marked by the increase of new frameworks of cooperation. Between them, the I2U2 grouping comprising India, Israel, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates stands out as a milestone experiment in bilateralism. Unlike traditional multilateral institutions, often forced by large memberships and slow agreement building, I2U2 operates as a quick, project driven coalition focused on geo-economic consequences. For India, participation in I2U2 is both strategic and practical. It enables New Delhi to reinforce its image as a responsible stakeholder while expanding partnerships beyond its traditional alignments. The grouping’s early initiatives highpoint this promise. A $2 billion food corridor connecting India and the UAE, powered by Israeli agricultural knowledge and American logistical support, exemplifies the potential of resource pooling for touchable developmental gains. Also, renewable energy undertakings in Gujarat, backed by Emirati investment and U.S. technology, prove a progressive agenda aligned with sustainability and climate imports. What differentiates I2U2 is its practical orientation. It avoids the ideological weight of security centric groupings like the Quad and instead underlines development, connectivity, and human security. This framing vibrates with the Global South and strengthens India’s ability to balance ties across Western and Gulf partners. Ultimately, I2U2 signals the evolution of India’s West Asia diplomacy, offering a flexible model of functional cooperation that mirrors the realities of a multipolar world order.