14/01/2026
We are pleased to share that on 13 January, the Greater West Asia Forum India (GWAFI), in collaboration with the William & Mary Global Research Institute and its Scholars Program cohort from the College of William & Mary, organised its first joint interactive session in India titled “Strategic Convergence: India, the United States, and the Middle East in a New Geopolitical Era.”
The session provided an opportunity to familiarise the visiting cohort with the vision, membership, and objectives of GWAFI, while facilitating meaningful dialogue on India’s evolving engagement with the wider West Asian region. Panel discussions explored multiple dimensions of the deepening and dynamic ties between India and Greater West Asia.
We are sincerely grateful to Mr. Fares Saeb, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Israel in India, for honouring the occasion and offering valuable insights on India–Israel relations. We also extend our appreciation to Prof. Eric Brown , Senior Research Scientist at the Global Research Institute, College of William & Mary, for graciously hosting the interaction.
The discussion also featured perspectives from:
Dr. Manjari Singh – Introduction
Ms. Hadas Bakst, Political Advisor, Embassy of Israel – Forum overview and embassy perspective
Mr. Arjun Ramesh Hardas – Civil society and NGO perspective, including the role of the American Jewish Committee
Dr. Meena Singh Roy – Think tank perspective on India–Greater West Asia relations
Mr. Harsh*t Sharma, Research Associate, NatStrat – India–Gulf relations
Dr. Manjari Singh – Academic perspective on GWAFI and the U.S. factor in India–West Asia and North Africa relations
Engaging with the accomplished and insightful young scholars of the Global Scholars Cohort was both enriching and intellectually rewarding.
