India’s BRICS Leadership Is Building a New Bridge to the Gulf

The 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi arrives at a defining moment for relations between India and the Gulf. Regional tensions have renewed attention on energy security, maritime trade and safe shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, while Gulf states diversify their economies, invest in advanced technology and strengthen commercial links with Asia.

India stands at the intersection of these developments. Its 2026 BRICS presidency is broadening historically strong Gulf ties into a wider partnership spanning investment, technology, food security, clean energy and regional stability.

The Gulf is represented in the expanded BRICS through Saudi Arabia and the UAE, giving the grouping greater weight in global energy and finance and strengthening its connection to West Asia. With deep relationships across all six GCC states, India is a natural bridge between the Gulf and the wider BRICS community.

Economic realities underpin this role. India is a major Gulf commercial partner and energy customer. Gulf states supply crude oil, LNG and petroleum products vital to India’s growth, while India supplies food, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, textiles, machinery and digital services. Millions of Indians living and working in the Gulf provide a powerful human foundation.

Momentum for stronger Gulf ties grew in February 2026, when India and the GCC signed terms of reference and formally launched negotiations for a comprehensive free trade agreement covering Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The agreement aims to provide greater trade stability, encourage investment and expand employment, with potential cooperation on standards, customs, services, digital commerce and professional mobility.

India already has a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the UAE and signed a separate agreement with Oman in December 2025. The GCC negotiations consolidate these bilateral successes into a broader regional economic architecture.

The timing complements India’s BRICS agenda under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”. Energy remains the bedrock, but its scope is expanding. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s May 2026 UAE visit, India and the UAE deepened cooperation on crude oil, LNG and LPG, while concluding a strategic agreement to increase UAE participation in India’s strategic petroleum reserves and exploring strategic gas reserves.

The relationship is also moving into clean energy, food security and technology. Gulf capital and renewable-energy expertise can combine with India’s engineering, manufacturing and market scale in areas including solar equipment, green hydrogen, battery storage and low-carbon technology. Food-security cooperation can link Gulf demand with India’s agricultural and food-processing capabilities through investment in storage, logistics and reliable supply chains.

Technology is becoming another pillar, with Gulf sovereign wealth funds investing in Indian digital platforms, renewable energy, infrastructure and startups, while Indian companies and professionals support Gulf development in AI, fintech, healthcare, space, cybersecurity and smart cities. Under BRICS, digital public infrastructure, cross-border payments and compatible technical standards could further reduce trade barriers. In July, India hosted heads of national standards bodies from all 11 BRICS members, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The human relationship remains vital. Indian doctors, nurses, engineers, educators, entrepreneurs and service workers have contributed to Gulf development for generations, while remittances support families and economies across India. Increasingly, ties are shifting towards high-skill industries, research, investment and entrepreneurship.

Regional stability remains essential. In June, Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan emphasised safe and unimpeded navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. India’s strategic autonomy and productive relationships across West Asia give it credibility as an advocate of dialogue, diplomacy, sovereignty and de-escalation.

The New Delhi summit will underline how far India-Gulf relations have travelled: from oil and expatriate labour to a broader partnership in trade, strategic reserves, green energy, digital innovation, food security and investment.

Sources: India–GCC free-trade negotiations; Prime Minister Modi’s May 2026 UAE visit; India–UAE discussions on regional stability; BRICS cooperation on standards.