India has been expanding its military ties with the Middle Eastern region, which is evident from several recent security collaborations with Gulf countries. Over the past few weeks, Indian forces have participated in various joint exercises with the military forces of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.<br />'' <br />'' At the time of writing of this article INS Trikand has docked at Mina Salman seaport at Bahrain for participating at  the International Maritime Exercise/ Cutlass Express 2023 , which is  being held in the Gulf region from 26 February to 16 March 2023. The aim of the exercise is to enhance maritime security and ensure the safety of sea lanes in the region for maritime commerce. Over 50 nations and international maritime agencies are participating in the exercise.This marks the first time that the Indian Navy is participating in IMX, and the second occasion when an Indian naval ship is participating in an exercise conducted by the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).<br />'' <br />'' On 28 Feb 23, INS Vela, a Kalvari Class Scorpene submarine entered Port Salalah, Oman for an Operational Test Readiness. The visit is a reflection of the strong and multi-layered relationship between the two countries and their mutual commitment to enhancing maritime security in the region. The Indian Navy and Royal Navy of Oman have been conducting bilateral naval exercises, "Naseem Al Bahr," for several years now.<br />'' <br />'' On February 25th, five India's Tejas aircraft and two C 17 globe master landed at Al Dhafra air base in theUnited Arab Emirates for its first combat exercise, Exercise Desert flag VIII , in a foreign country. The exercise is underway and set to last until March 17.<br />'' <br />'' In a historic first, eight aircraft of the Indian Air Force landed at a Royal Saudi Air Force base on 26 February heralding a new chapter in the defence relationship between the two countries. The Indian contingent comprising 145 Air Warriors with its complement of 05 MIRAGE, 02 C17 and 01 IL 78 tankers had an overnight halt in the Kingdom on their way to Cobra Warrior 23 Exercise in the UK.<br />'' <br />'' On February 20, INS Sumedha, a patrol vessel of the Indian Navy, arrived in Abu Dhabi to participate in the Naval defence Exhibition and International defence Exhibition(IDEX 2023).<br />'' <br />'' At IDEX, EDGE group's Caracal and India-based Icomm entered into a partnership licensing agreement to develop a portfolio of locally manufactured small arms for the Indian market. It marks the first transfer of technology in small arms from the UAE to India. This partnership will enable India to manufacture Caracal's advanced small arms systems, which have been used by the UAE Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies. This move is expected to further strengthen the defence ties between the UAE and India, and give a shot in the arm for the 'Make in India' initiative.<br />'' <br />'' The Abraham accords and the ensuing i2u2 framework has helped shape India's economic policy in the Middle East  and  India-Israel-UAE-USA are working to increase investments in the fields of water, energy, environment, health, and space.India's defence policy in the UAE is also driven by its strategic interests in the region, including securing its energy supplies, protecting its diaspora, and countering regional threats such as terrorism and piracy.<br />'' <br />'' "India-UAE defence relationship has witnessed an upswing in recent years, under the visionary leadership of both countries. Today, the relationship is dotted with frequent exchange of visits between India and UAE in the defence sector, including regular participation in joint exercises. Both countries are exploring joint production, which will further enhance our bilateral partnership with UAE in the defence sector" said Sunjay Sudhir, Indian Ambassador to UAE.<br />'' <br />'' <br />'' With the US minimizing its security role in the Middle East, India is trying to fill the vacuum and increase its defence cooperation with Gulf countries. This trend has been on the rise for the past few years, but it has deepened lately. India sees the need to strengthen its defence ties with the Middle East, which is important for its geo-strategic interests and to balance China's growing influence in the region.<br />'' <br />'' Security engagements are also vital for India's huge diaspora residing in the region. Nearly 9 million Indians live and work in the Middle East, with some 3.4 million in the UAE and 2.5 million in Saudi Arabia, and send back home about $80 billion in remittances every year. The increased security cooperation is also reflecting diplomatic efforts and the strengthening of bilateral ties, especially with Saudi Arabia.<br />'' <br />'' "Defence Cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia is expanding and maturing. This is an indication of deepening of mutual trust and willingness to work together and is in line with strengthening of our overall bilateral relations. Saudi Arabia is our close friend and a strategic partner" – Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Dr. Suhel Ajaz Khan.<br />'' <br />'' Defence cooperation is becoming increasingly crucial for countries like India that have significant maritime interests. Without sufficient defence cooperation, economic cooperation alone may not succeed because it is vulnerable to security threats in the maritime domain. Military cooperation is always a reliable indicator of the quality of two states' bilateral relations. In addition to being crucially necessary for West Asia, defence cooperation is also mutually aspired. Overall, the relations between India and the Middle East with Israel also in the loop, cooperation in the areas of counter-terrorism, regional stability, and defence technology should definitely get into the groove.<br />