Since their violent partition in 1947, driven by the British policy of divide and rule, India has carried the deeper scars of division, not just in terms of human tragedy, but in the lasting cost to its strategic environment. The creation of Pakistan wasn’t just a cartographic exercise. It was a rupture built on a separatist ideology that rejected the possibility of coexistence.
India, for its part, charted a very different course — a pluralistic, civilizationally-rooted democracy that sought to include all citizens, including its large Muslim population. Pakistan, by contrast, was forged in the fires of religious exclusivism. That founding idea continues to cast a long shadow.
Even today, powerful segments of the Pakistani state and society look at India through an ideological lens — not as a neighbour, but as unfinished business. Concepts like Ghazwa-e-Hind are invoked not by fringe elements, but by sections of the mainstream, feeding a narrative that paints hostility as religious duty. And the result? A foreign policy addicted to conflict. Exporting terrorism has been wrapped in the cloak of Islamic solidarity, even as Pakistan’s society reels under economic strain, political dysfunction, and radicalization.
The problem with this posture is not just that it’s dangerous — it’s also tragically self-defeating. Pakistan has come to view any discussion of peace as a sign of weakness, and India’s restraint as a sign of softness. The country’s powerful military-intelligence complex continues to craft a narrative of existential threat from India, using it to justify oversized defence budgets, political interference, and economic mismanagement. Rather than invest in development, education, or governance, Pakistan has preferred the comfort of myth-making: Kashmir as its “jugular vein,” Indian Muslims as perpetually oppressed, and the broader Islamic world as a moral bloc aligned against India.
This is the context in which the so-called Medina Doctrine was perfected. In 2018, the then Prime Minister Imran Khan publicly pledged to turn Pakistan into a modern-day Medina State — an idealised Islamic society rooted in the early traditions of Islam. But scratch the surface, and it was clear this wasn’t a spiritual journey. It was political theatre. Pakistan’s establishment has long cloaked its realpolitik in religious garb, using Islam as a shield against scrutiny and a sword against dissent. The result? More radicalisation, less pluralism. More symbolism, less substance.
India, meanwhile, was telling a very different story.
Enter Modi, with a handshake !
Since 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pursued a bold and unapologetic approach to West Asia. Gone are the days of reactive diplomacy. In their place stands a deliberate and expansive outreach to the Gulf — not rooted in religious commonalities, but in hard-headed economics, strategic convergence, and a long-term view.
India’s ties with the UAE are a prime example. Today, bilateral trade has surged past the $85 billion mark. The 2022 CEPA deal was a turning point, reducing tariffs and boosting connectivity. Whether it’s startups, green energy, or digital finance, Indian and Emirati firms are now deeply intertwined. Millions of Indians live and work in the UAE — not just as labourers, but increasingly as entrepreneurs, investors, and knowledge workers.
Saudi Arabia, too, has turned the page. Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030, India is seen as a key partner in technology, energy, and human capital. From counter-terrorism to culture, the two sides are building a wide-ranging relationship that reflects mutual trust and future ambition.
The Gulf’s Evolution: From Brotherhood to Boardrooms
In many ways, the tectonic plates of the Gulf have shifted. The era of pan-Islamic sentimentalism has quietly given way to pragmatic realpolitik. Gulf monarchies — the UAE and Saudi Arabia in particular — are no longer interested in funding ideological adventures in South Asia. They want partners who bring stability, innovation, and economic resilience to the table.
India fits that bill perfectly. Pakistan, increasingly, does not.
What’s changed isn’t just policy. Its identity. The ruling elites in Abu Dhabi and Riyadh now see themselves differently. The old ideas of Islamic leadership defined through religious posturing or solidarity with distant causes are being set aside. In their place is a more modern, cosmopolitan self-image. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed aren’t looking back to the 7th century; they’re building 21st-century legacies. From space exploration and art museums to mega-events and fintech zones, the Gulf is speaking the language of ambition, not ideology.
This internal evolution is what has allowed Gulf leaders to look at Pakistan with new eyes, not as a brother in faith, but as a liability stuck in a time warp. Countries that once bankrolled Pakistan’s religious nationalism now seem visibly fatigued by its endless grievance playbook.
And this shift has real consequences.
India: The New Darling of the Gulf
India’s Gulf outreach hasn’t just paid off diplomatically. It’s reshaped the country’s image in the Islamic world. Hosting the UAE Crown Prince as Chief Guest on Republic Day, receiving the highest civilian honours from Saudi and Emirati leadership — these are not mere optics. They signal trust, alignment, and respect.
Pakistan has noticed, and is clearly unsettled. Its long-time monopoly over Muslim sympathy has cracked. Its narratives about Indian Muslims, the Kashmir dispute, and pan-Islamic unity no longer find the same reception in Gulf capitals. These capitals, after all, are now busy investing in India’s ports, solar parks, tech unicorns, and temples.
Few moments captured this shift better than the announcement and the construction of the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi. It’s not just the first traditional Hindu temple in the Arab world — it’s an absolute metaphor. A sign that the UAE no longer sees a contradiction in embracing pluralism while retaining its Islamic identity. It’s a quiet, confident move that says: we’ve outgrown the insecurities of the past.
India, for its part, is no longer merely reacting to Pakistani provocations. It’s framing the narrative, setting the terms, and building coalitions, displaying strategic maturity in action.
Can This Gulf-India Axis Teach Pakistan New Tricks?
And so, the question: Can this evolving Gulf-India partnership offer Pakistan a mirror, and a model for recalibration?
The choice is Pakistan’s to make. It can double down on outdated rhetoric, chasing ghosts of past glories. Or it can learn from what works in the rest of the world — pragmatism, reform, and responsible statecraft.
Here, the Gulf states could play a quiet but crucial role.
They hold more cards than we realise. Pakistan depends on them for remittances, bailouts, and investment. These relationships can be leveraged subtly but firmly. Aid could be linked to real reform, not empty assurances. Messages of moderation can be publicly amplified. The frequency of OIC condemnations can be dialled down. Cultural and people-to-people ties with India can be prioritised.
And then there’s backchannel diplomacy, the art of private nudges. The Gulf royals are among the few interlocutors still taken seriously in Islamabad. A quiet word in the right ear may go further than any Western lecture.
Through this mix of subtle pressure and aspirational modelling, the Gulf can help nudge Pakistan off the edge and back onto a path of realism.
In all of this, there’s something deeply ironic about this moment. That India’s closest friends in the Islamic world might just be the ones who might help pull its most hostile Muslim neighbour back from the brink. But then again, that’s geopolitics for you.
The Gulf has changed. India has changed. Maybe, just maybe, it’s time Pakistan did too.
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Pranav Doshi is a seasoned international business development and trade promotion specialist with over 22 years of experience advancing strategic growth, investment facilitation, and bilateral partnerships across the Middle East, India, and global markets. With expertise spanning defence, aerospace, transport, UAVs, and mobility, he brings deep strength in government relations, stakeholder engagement, and market entry strategy.
As Regional Director – GCC & India at Advanced Business Events (ABE) / BCI Aerospace, Pranav leads regional expansion efforts and cross-sector collaboration, including launching new verticals in India and the UAE. His earlier roles as Trade Commissioner (Canada), Deputy Commercial Attaché (France), and strategic lead at RAKEZ and VFS Global have cemented his credentials in international diplomacy and commercial development. Fluent in English, Hindi, French, and German, Pranav brings geopolitical insight and business acumen to every engagement—translating complex international trends into real-world growth outcomes.
