Daily RC and Vocabulary 20th January 2026
Bridging the Gulf
India must tread cautiously as it negotiates defence ties with Gulf nations. The nearly two-hour visit of UAE President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MbZ) to Delhi on Monday, with only one meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ended with a number of far-reaching outcomes. The UAE is India’s third-largest trading partner, its second biggest export destination, seventh biggest foreign investor, and concluded its first bilateral trade agreement with India in 2022. The agreements on Monday focused on the economic partnership — a commitment to double bilateral trade to $200 billion, an LNG deal for $3 billion and UAE investment in Gujarat. However, the major announcement was the intention to conclude a framework agreement for an India-UAE “Strategic Defence partnership”, the first of its kind. Details are still to be revealed. However, it is clear that West Asia and South Asia will be watching closely given the complicated security environment in both regions. MbZ’s sudden India visit came amidst heightened tensions between the UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Both countries were once a part of the same military coalition against the Houthi uprising in 2014. Their power tussle has also intensified over forces in Sudan, and the lack of communication between MbZ and Saudi leader Mohammed Bin Salman (MbS) is now being called the Gulf region’s new “cold war”. In addition, protests in Iran and the U.S.’s threats to intervene as well as the tenuous Gaza ceasefire and U.S. President Donald Trump’s plans for a Board of Peace have led to concerns about internal and external instability. Israel’s bombing in Qatar in September 2025, that led the Saudi government to rush a “mutual defence pact” with Pakistan, and reported negotiations of including Türkiye in the pact, portend a more complex and unstable region, with repercussions for India.
The announcement of the UAE-India negotiations for a defence agreement is being read by some as a possible military front to counter other regional alignments. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri attempted to downplay concerns, holding that the treaty was not about India’s involvement in “a hypothetical future scenario in the region”. Even so, the government must keep in mind ties not only with the UAE but also other important Gulf region countries, where nearly 10 million Indians reside. The GCC-area is a major energy source, especially as U.S. and EU sanctions have curtailed all of India’s other important sources. India’s cross-regional connectivity plans through Iran’s Chabahar port, the International North South Transport Corridor and the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor have been imperilled due to all the tensions as their future depends on cooperation with all players there. With important relationships in the region, and so many faultlines within it, India has little option but to tread lightly.
Top 10 Vocabulary from the Editorial
1. Far-reaching
Meaning: Having wide and long-term consequences.
Example: The proposed defence partnership could have far-reaching implications for India’s West Asia policy.
2. Framework agreement
Meaning: A broad agreement that sets guiding principles for future cooperation rather than detailed commitments.
Example: India and the UAE aim to finalise a framework agreement on strategic defence cooperation.
3. Heightened tensions
Meaning: A situation where conflict or strain has intensified.
Example: The visit took place amid heightened tensions in the Gulf region.
4. Power tussle
Meaning: A struggle between actors to gain dominance or influence.
Example: A power tussle between regional powers is reshaping Gulf geopolitics.
5. Downplay
Meaning: To reduce the apparent importance or seriousness of an issue.
Example: Officials sought to downplay fears of India’s military involvement in West Asia.
6. Tenuous
Meaning: Weak, fragile, or uncertain.
Example: The tenuous ceasefire in Gaza continues to worry regional stakeholders.
7. Portend
Meaning: To indicate or warn that something is likely to happen in the future.
Example: New defence alignments portend greater instability in the region.
8. Repercussions
Meaning: Indirect or unintended consequences of an action.
Example: Gulf instability could have serious repercussions for India’s energy security.
9. Cross-regional connectivity
Meaning: Infrastructure and transport links connecting multiple regions or continents.
Example: Cross-regional connectivity projects like IMEC are affected by West Asian tensions.
10.Strategic autonomy
Meaning: The ability of a country to pursue independent foreign policy choices.
Example: India seeks to preserve its strategic autonomy while engaging Gulf powers.
RC Questions
Q1.
The primary concern highlighted by the editorial regarding the proposed India–UAE defence framework is that it may:
(a) Violate India’s long-standing non-alignment policy
(b) Lead to excessive military expenditure without economic returns
(c) Draw India into complex regional rivalries of West Asia
(d) Undermine India’s relations with Western powers
Q2.
Which of the following best captures the editorial’s use of the phrase “new Cold War” in the Gulf context?
(a) Ideological confrontation between democratic and authoritarian regimes
(b) Intensifying rivalry without direct large-scale military confrontation
(c) Arms race driven primarily by nuclear proliferation
(d) Bipolar division led by the U.S. and China
Q3.
Why does the editorial consider Saudi Arabia’s reported defence engagement with Pakistan significant for India?
(a) It alters the global balance of power
(b) It threatens India’s maritime security in the Indian Ocean
(c) It adds complexity to India’s regional strategic environment
(d) It directly violates existing international treaties
Q4.
The editorial suggests that India’s connectivity initiatives like Chabahar Port and IMEC are vulnerable mainly because:
(a) They lack sufficient private investment
(b) Regional instability affects cooperation among participating states
(c) India has prioritised defence over infrastructure funding
(d) Competing Chinese projects have made them redundant
Q5.
Which of the following best reflects the editorial’s recommended approach for India in West Asia?
(a) Building exclusive defence alliances to secure energy interests
(b) Avoiding defence cooperation altogether in volatile regions
(c) Engaging selectively while maintaining balanced relations across regional actors
(d) Aligning closely with one Gulf power to ensure strategic depth
Answers, Meanings & Explanations (Separately)
Answer Key
Q1 → (c)
Q2 → (b)
Q3 → (c)
Q4 → (b)
Q5 → (c)
Explanations
Q1 Explanation:
The editorial repeatedly cautions that deeper defence ties could entangle India in Gulf rivalries, especially given tensions among UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and others. The issue is geopolitical entrapment, not ideology or Western pressure.
Q2 Explanation:
The phrase “new Cold War” is used metaphorically to describe intensifying rivalries and proxy contests, such as influence in Sudan and Yemen, without direct war—mirroring Cold War-style competition.
Q3 Explanation:
Saudi Arabia’s defence outreach to Pakistan (and possibly Türkiye) does not directly threaten India militarily but reshapes the regional strategic balance, complicating India’s diplomacy and security calculations.
Q4 Explanation:
Projects like Chabahar, INSTC, and IMEC depend on regional cooperation and stability. Conflicts, sanctions, and rivalries in West Asia directly jeopardise their viability.
Q5 Explanation:
The editorial advocates calibrated engagement—working with all major Gulf actors without exclusive alignment—so India preserves flexibility, protects diaspora and energy interests, and avoids bloc politics.
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