A grand Hindu temple has been inaugurated in the UAE. held its first military exercises with Saudi Arabia. The Emir of Qatar has granted a blanket pardon to eight retired Indian naval officers in what would otherwise have been devastating executions. This all happened in just a few days. India’s diplomatic prowess in the Gulf states is at its peak, and the trend has a common thread – Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the relationship he personally manages with the rulers of these prominent Muslim countries.

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At a time when the world is divided by the Israel-Gaza war and monarchs of major Islamic countries are scrambling to avoid even the slightest negative publicity, their solidarity with India has reached new heights. Just look at the BAPS temple in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This incredibly majestic temple complex is located right in the heart of the Arab world. The temple cost $84 million to build and occupies 27 acres of land donated by the President of the United Arab Emirates himself. In fact, the project was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who thanked UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for making this a reality.

Addressing the Abu Dhabi diaspora, Modi said that when he asked for the possibility of building a Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Salman immediately agreed. The UAE leader went on to instruct stakeholders that the temple should be built with glory and grandeur. Thus, the temple not only served its purpose but also looked fitting, which was the first of its kind in the entire region.

This is indeed a great gesture from the Emiratis, who are unfazed by Western media claims that Indian Muslims are an oppressed minority. Instead, the UAE leadership has expressed enthusiastic support for Prime Minister Modi himself as India approaches national elections.

Under the Crown Prince’s leadership, the UAE has made progress. Although it remains highly traditionalist and authoritarian from the beginning, it remains relatively one of the most liberal countries in West Asia. In addition, the UAE has positioned itself to counter terrorism. When it comes to India, the UAE goes all out. The two countries are strategically aligned and are part of various regional groupings and projects, including I2U2 and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).

Whatever happens, India can count on the UAE as a trustworthy friend. The UAE has not commented on the Kashmir issue and has not supported Pakistan in its fight against India. It not only invests in Jammu and Kashmir but also appears to recognize Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as part of India.

The trade volume between the two countries has reached US$84 billion annually and will soon reach US$100 billion. This makes the UAE India’s third largest trading partner. Non-oil trade has exceeded US$50 billion, and India’s exports continue to grow. The UAE also accepts payment for oil in Indian rupees. It already accepts UPI based Rupay cards which is great news for Indians out there.

Finally, the UAE recognized India’s huge potential. India is not only the world’s fastest-growing large economy but also an increasingly powerful player in global geopolitics. In addition, there are 3.3 million Indians, accounting for more than one-third of the total population of the UAE. They helped build the country but never posed a challenge to its security or polity. So, if you are looking for a pair of best friends on the world map, India and UAE are undoubtedly one of them.

Moving on to Qatar, a completely different and challenging arena compared to the seamless venue of the UAE. This is another incredible breakthrough by Prime Minister Modi. Last year, a Qatari court sentenced eight former Indian Navy officials to death by hanging on espionage charges. While details of the matter were never revealed, sources said the men were suspected of passing top-secret information about Qatar’s submarine program to Israel.

Today, Qatar is notorious for its extraordinary prowess as a geopolitical power. Unlike the UAE, the small country of Qatar also has a dark side. A little too close to a terrorist group. At the same time, the world’s major powers cannot avoid this issue. So while Hamas leaders enjoy safe haven in Qatar, the head of Mossad can come and go at any time. Although it has the largest U.S. overseas base, it still wields considerable influence within the Taliban leadership. Eventually, talks between the United States and the Taliban were held in Doha, the capital of Qatar. Even now, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is counting on Qatar to expedite the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Qatar has huge influence in the region and cannot be easily erased.

The death sentence shocked India to its core. Never in its history has it experienced such a sensitive challenge. However, India’s diplomatic charm prevailed. It remains largely silent on the front end while deploying diplomacy in the background. India is handling the matter with utmost sensitivity and seeks not to damage Qatar’s reputation. Soon, the death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, and the life sentence was converted to release.

Moreover, Prime Minister Modi personally intervened and is said to have ultimately changed the mind of the Emir of Qatar. An unfortunate tragedy was ultimately averted. As this relief begins, Prime Minister Modi announced a visit to Qatar, as well as an earlier planned trip to the UAE. A favorable LNG deal was also signed with the gas-rich country. It is an extension of a 25-year deal set to expire in 2028 – a $78 billion LNG deal that ensures Qatar’s gas supply for 20 years at prices below current prices. India is expected to save a total of $6 billion as it continues its transition to clean energy.

Judging from the aftermath of the war in Russia and Ukraine, Qatar has no shortage of customers. A very hungry Europe has been standing on the doorstep for more than a year. But it signed an agreement with India, taking into account the country’s growing geopolitical relevance and its booming market. It makes sense for Qatar not to confront India.

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Less mentioned last week was Saudi Arabia, which just concluded a military exercise with India called Sada Tanseeq. This reflects the rapid development of strategic relations between Riyadh and New Delhi. While Saudi Arabia’s leadership is not yet as progressive as the UAE, it is seeking to promote deradicalization. It has a similar approach for India and it is also a member of IMEC. Trade is growing, and so are people-to-people ties.

A few decades ago, no one could have imagined that these developments were possible. India does not have such influence in West Asia. But after years of focused and nurturing diplomacy, it has now become New Delhi’s key asset in influencing the economic and security spheres.