New Delhi, March 20 — Rising tensions in the Gulf and the broader Middle East are prompting significant shifts in military posture and diplomacy, foreign affairs expert Robinder Sachdev said.
Sachdev analyzed changes in the roles of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, the extent of U.S. involvement, and Israel’s public posture amid growing concern over Iran. He called recent U.S. arms sales to Gulf states defensible from a security perspective — “the Gulf countries do need weapons to save themselves” — but added they also reinforce the perception that military conflict benefits the defense industry, particularly American contractors.
He argued the GCC, historically focused on economic cooperation, could evolve into a more formal military grouping as member states conclude they must pool limited manpower and invest in advanced weaponry. Noting demographic limits in some states, he pointed to the United Arab Emirates as an example: only about 2 million Emiratis among roughly 10 million residents, meaning relatively small native manpower. High‑tech arms, he said, can partially compensate for those shortfalls.
On Israel, Sachdev described Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent press conference as combative and aimed at countering narratives that Israel pressured the United States into the current confrontation. He noted that sustained lobbying can shift U.S. positions and that Netanyahu has long emphasized an imminent Iranian nuclear threat.
Regarding American engagement, Sachdev warned that the U.S. now appears deeply embedded in the conflict and treats its role as linked to national prestige. He also criticized allied reactions, saying many countries — including European states, Japan, and Korea — often “virtually behave or exhibit the behaviour of a poodle. They will go along with what the US tells them.” He added, however, that some European governments are reassessing their relationship with Washington in light of recent political developments.
Sachdev concluded that arms procurement, alliance-building and diplomatic signaling are interacting in complex ways to reshape Gulf strategies and regional alignments.
This report is from a syndicated feed and published as received; the Tribune assumes no responsibility for its accuracy or completeness.
