MENA-Asia defense cooperation has witnessed considerable developments over the last couple of years. Under its “Look West” policy, India has expanded its bilateral maritime defense cooperation with a number of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. Signaling growing trilateral cooperation, India, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and France concluded their first joint maritime exercise in 2023. The UAE is also host to the “Akh unit” which remains South Korea’s only military unit deployed overseas beyond its peacekeeping missions. In North Africa, China has conducted joint military exercises in the Mediterranean, and continues to be a major defense partner with countries such as Egypt and Algeria, although its share of imports of major weapons and conventional arms to North Africa as a region declined by 81% from 13% of all imports between 2014 and 2018 to 7.2% between 2019 and 2023, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s (SIPRI) data.
The shifting dynamics of global power and the evolving interests of Asian countries in the Middle East present new challenges and opportunities for regional and global security. What is motivating growing Asia-Middle East defense cooperation? How will rising geopolitical tensions across the Middle East impact security ties? What are the limitations of Asia-Middle East defense cooperation? Against a looming decline in the United States’ security presence in the Middle East, how can/are the Asian powers contributing to re-shaping the region’s security architecture? And how can the Asian powers enhance their role in the Middle East’s security landscape?
To answer these questions, and more, the Middle East Council on Global Affairs (ME Council) and SIPRI organized a two-day workshop in Doha on the 8th and 9th of September 2024. The workshop brought together experts to explore these dynamics and foster dialogue on enhancing security and defense partnerships between Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Through collaborative discussions and strategic insights, the workshop contributed to a deeper understanding of this emerging geopolitical landscape.
Alaa Tartir, Program Director of Al-Shabaka, Engaged Scholar, Global Citizen 