Saudi Arabia is trying to reduce tension between India and Pakistan
After the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir on 22 April, the relations between India and Pakistan are once again at a delicate turn. India held Pakistan-backed terrorists responsible for this attack and on May 7 under Operation Sindoor, Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In response, on May 9, Pakistan carried out drone attacks on many civil areas of India, which India failed.
This latest tension has made not only South Asia but also West Asia restless. The Gulf country, especially Saudi Arabia, are engaged in reducing this growing tension between the two nuclear powers. The question arises that why is Saudi trying to become a ‘middleman’ in this quarrel?
Saudi minister running between Indo-Pak, why suddenly became active?
On May 8, Saudi Arabia Minister of State for External Affairs Adel Al-Jubayer suddenly arrived in India and Foreign Minister S.K. Meeting Jaishankar. The next day he left for Islamabad. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said that their visit was part of the efforts to reduce tension between India and Pakistan and communicate. Not only Saudi, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi also went to Delhi and Islamabad this week. This shows how serious the West Asia countries are about the possible war in South Asia.
Deep relations with both India and Pakistan
Saudi Arabia is not just strategic in India-Pakistan matters, but it is directly related to economic and strategic interests. Saudi Arabia has a big investment in India. The two countries had a trade of more than $ 43 billion in 2023-24, with India exported $ 11.56 billion while imported by $ 31.42 billion. Saudi Arabia is an important source of India’s energy needs. India fulfills its 14% crude oil requirement from Saudi. At the same time, Pakistan fulfills its 30% need from Saudi.
Saudi’s grip on Pakistan
Saudi trade with Pakistan is less, but its grip there is more strong. Saudi Arabia has overcome Pakistan many times from economic crisis. It should be $ 3 billion or a delay of $ 1.2 billion in oil payment. Saudi’s hand has been continuously on Pakistan’s back. Not only this, many important projects of Pakistan such as Sapphire-Zhelam Hydropower and Famous Faisal Mosque of Islamabad are also made of Saudi funding. Saudi Arabia has also promised $ 10 billion to install a refinery on Gwadar Port in future, which will be a big entry in CPEC.
Why is Saudi afraid of terrorism?
Saudi’s concern over Pakistan is not just economic. Saudi knows that fundamentalist organizations flourishing in Pakistan are also a threat to him. The Gulf countries have learned from the Taliban’s return to Afghanistan and earlier experiences that it is necessary to control fundamentalism not only by money, but also with policy. This is the reason that Saudi is now giving attention to religious tolerance, anti -terror partnership and social reforms. His growing security and intelligence partnership with India is a step in this direction.
Saudi has tried to mediate before
According to a New York Times news, the situation became very stressful in 2019 when India lashed out within Pakistan in response to a terrorist attack in Kashmir. But at such a time Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) played an important role in calming the crisis. UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed himself reached Islamabad and New Delhi, while Saudi Arabia made India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the then Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan a guest within a month. According to the report, two years later, India and Pakistan issued a joint statement on the Line of Control (LOC) to follow the long -standing ceasefire. There was also an interesting story behind this important agreement. In fact, in Dubai, UAE quietly got a conversation between the intelligence officials of India and Pakistan, which led to the melting of this ice.