Participants from multinational infrastructure companies, global corporations and policy institutions observed that the risks arising from potential disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz, together with the reconstruction requirements in conflict-affected parts of West Asia, are encouraging businesses to identify new opportunities in infrastructure connectivity and logistics — rather than to retreat from the region.
Investment is focusing on multimodal transport corridors, electricity grids, renewable energy, inland logistics hubs and alternative maritime gateways to improve regional resilience and connectivity.
As such, the focus is shifting beyond reconstruction to the broader remaking of West Asia through economic integration — a strategy increasingly viewed as essential for the region’s long-term growth and development. The Strait of Hormuz carries nearly 20 per cent of the world's oil supplies, making Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states such as Kuwait and Qatar heavily dependent on this critical waterway, while Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have invested in pipelines to bypass the chokepoint. One promising proposal involves connecting the GCC with the Mediterranean through transport and energy corridors traversing Iraq and Jordan.
Such a route would not only create significant investment opportunities but also serve as a strategic geopolitical initiative to diversify supply chains, strengthen energy security, and reduce logistics costs.
India’s strategic opportunity
In this context, India is well-placed to pursue two complementary objectives. First, by helping build West Asia's connectivity networks. Second, new trade and industry corridors would allow Indian firms to strengthen manufacturing, logistics and distribution links serving regional and European markets.
These developments would reinforce India's long-term growth strategy, expand opportunities for the cross-border movement of skilled professionals, and maximise the value of its existing and prospective trade arrangements with the EU, UAE, and other Gulf economies.
A more economically integrated West Asia would enable the region to evolve into an industrial hub capable of adding significant value to global supply chains. India enjoys strong diplomatic relations with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar, and Israel, while also maintaining a functional working relationship with Iran.
This unique diplomatic advantage, complemented by India's growing digital, technological, and economic capabilities, allows it to play a leading role in supporting the transformation of West Asian economies. Such a partnership has the potential to generate substantial mutual benefits, making it a win-win proposition for both sides.
Digital and healthcare partnerships
India’s Digital Public Infrastructure could support payment systems, customs, logistics, digital identity and health platforms across the region, creating significant opportunities for Indian IT firms. Expanding healthcare networks, telemedicine,
vaccine manufacturing and generic medicine hubs would create skilled jobs while strengthening remittance flows.
Building industrial value chains
Geographic proximity and longstanding ties create opportunities for deeper industrial integration. Indian firms in pharmaceuticals, engineering, gems and jewellery, textiles, and leather could benefit from a preferential investment environment in West Asia — using the region's industrial hubs to enhance value addition before supplying both domestic markets and export destinations in the EU and the UK.
Other significant opportunities include food processing, dairy, cold-chain logistics and exports of high-value horticulture produce from India's North-East.
IMEC and integrated logistics
Similarly, given India’s commitment to the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), developing a common digital maritime platform covering port management, shipping, cargo tracking and digital customs facilitation could play a critical role in enabling seamless two-way trade flows. This would not only facilitate the movement of goods from India and West Asia to Europe, but also position India’s western ports as key logistics hubs for the distribution of goods to South Asia.
Regional integration as the next phase of globalisation
In a world where countries are increasingly seeking to insulate themselves from geopolitical vulnerabilities, the next phase of globalisation would logically be around regional economic integration. An India-West Asia Economic Partnership Council could be formed as a singular, official entity to support a collective vision. This could be envisaged as a convergence and coordination mechanism to bring together governments, industry bodies, financial institutions, customs and financial regulators, for harmonisation of quality and environmental standards, and so on — making it easy to form collaborations and partnerships.
A win-win economic partnership
Gulf sovereign wealth can complement India’s strengths in infrastructure, manufacturing, technology and services, creating mutual growth opportunities.
For India, the partnership would expand exports, encourage near-shoring, create skilled employment and reinforce economic integration with a region where it enjoys strong geographic, diplomatic and commercial advantages.
The writer is former Union Labour Secretary and former Union Special Secretary (Logistics). Views are personal
 "World Economic Forum")