Gulf–South Asia Relations in an Era of Deepening Interdependence
The relationship between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and South Asia is undergoing a profound transformation, evolving beyond traditional labour migration and energy trade into a multifaceted partnership shaped by economic, strategic, technological, and cultural linkages. This shift reflects several Gulf states’ economic diversification plans alongside South Asia’s growing geopolitical weight, rapid economic growth, and technolog ...
Abstract
The relationship between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states and South Asia is undergoing a profound transformation, evolving beyond traditional labour migration and energy trade into a multifaceted partnership shaped by economic, strategic, technological, and cultural linkages. This shift reflects several Gulf states’ economic diversification plans alongside South Asia’s growing geopolitical weight, rapid economic growth, and technological advancements. Interdependence now spans critical areas including trade, investment, remittances, renewable energy, infrastructure, food security, and emerging domains like cyber and space cooperation. Defence ties, too, are deepening, as seen in the Saudi–Pakistan defence pact, signalling a shift from transactional engagements to institutionalised strategic partnerships. Against this backdrop, this workshop will bring together scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to examine the drivers, dynamics, and implications of evolving relations between GCC and South Asian states. The workshop will explore historical foundations, economic interdependencies, strategic alignments, and the enduring role of labour mobility, while also considering future frameworks for institutionalised cooperation. By situating Gulf–South Asia relations within wider debates on connectivity, multipolarity, and global governance, the workshop aims to generate fresh research agendas, inform policy strategies, and deepen scholarly understanding of this increasingly consequential transregional partnership.
Description and Rationale
Context
The relationship between the GCC states and South Asia is undergoing a noticeable transformation. Historically anchored in patterns of labour migration and energy trade, the ties between these two regions have significantly evolved over the past few decades. Today, they encompass an increasingly complex web of economic, political, strategic, technological, and cultural interactions. This shift reflects not only the growing economic diversification and strategic ambitions of Gulf states but also the rising geopolitical and developmental importance of South Asia (Jeong, 2020).
At the heart of this evolving relationship is a deepening interdependence driven by shared opportunities and mutual vulnerabilities. Gulf states rely heavily on South Asia’s vast labour force, expanding consumer markets, and growing technological capabilities, while South Asian economies continue to depend on Gulf energy supplies, investment capital, and remittance flows. There is no data available on the exact number of South Asian migrant workers in the GCC states, but as per an estimate there are about 24 million South Asian expatriate workers (Rahman, 2010). These interdependencies are being redefined amidst wider global transformations, such as shifting power balances, the recalibration of US and Chinese regional roles, and a heightened emphasis on defence cooperation, connectivity, innovation, and sustainable development.
The strategic dimensions of Gulf–South Asia relations are also expanding. As the Gulf states seek to diversify their economies under long-term strategic plans, such as Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s Centennial 2071, due to which partnerships with South Asian countries are becoming increasingly crucial in areas like infrastructure development, renewable energy, technology transfer, and food security. Also, geopolitical and security cooperation is intensifying, ranging from counterterrorism and maritime security to emerging collaborations in cyber defence and space exploration. Defence relations between GCC and South Asian states have evolved significantly over the decades, transitioning from traditional military diplomacy, including training exchanges, joint exercises, and military advisory roles, to more institutionalised and strategic partnerships (Karim, 2025; Pardhan, 2012). This progression is now reflected in the recent defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, which represents the culmination of Riyadh’s longstanding soft power in shaping bilateral ties and strategic cooperation with Islamabad (El Dahan and Shah, 2025; Ahmed and Karim, 2024).
These dynamics underscore the need for a deeper scholarly understanding of how these partnerships are reshaping regional orders and influencing global governance. Against this backdrop, the proposed workshop will convene leading scholars, early-career researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to examine the multifaceted nature of Gulf–South Asia relations. Through historical, economic, and strategic perspectives, the workshop will explore the forces driving evolving partnerships, the policy choices shaping these trajectories, and the structural challenges that must be addressed to fully realise the potential of cooperation between GCC and South Asian states. The workshop will examine the historical and cultural foundations of the relationship and their contemporary relevance; assess evolving economic interdependencies in trade, investment, energy, and technology; and analyse the strategic and security dimensions of cooperation in an increasingly complex geopolitical environment.
Equally important, the workshop will investigate how labour mobility and human capital exchanges continue to underpin foreign policy choices, while also exploring future policy frameworks that could institutionalise cooperation and manage interdependence more effectively. By situating Gulf–South Asia relations within broader debates on interregional connectivity, global order, and multipolarity, the workshop will generate new research agendas, inform policymaking, and foster collaborative scholarship that reflects the growing strategic significance of this vital transregional relationship.
Gulf Research Meeting
