US-backed India-UAE-Israel trade Western Quad set up

 

India-UAE-Israel trade deals set up a US-backed Western Quad ‘alternative to China’, as Abraham Accords bring new reality to the Middle East

• Series of free-trade deals between India, the UAE and Israel will give an economic underpinning to the emerging US-backed alliance known as the West Asian Quad
• While the group does not presently seek to confront Beijing, experts say the deals give it a US-corralled ‘alternative’ source of trade and investment to China

A free-trade agreement struck last week between India and the United Arab Emirates is the first of a series of deals which will soon bring together members of US-sponsored strategic alliances in the Middle East and Asia.

The UAE, a wealthy oil exporter and the Middle East’s top trade hub, is also close to wrapping up free-trade negotiations with Israel, Emirati officials said, underpinning a rapidly growing relationship established under the Abraham Accords in August 2020.

Marking the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Israel in January, India announced it had also entered into free-trade talks with Jerusalem.