It did come as a shock when the two countries Iran and Saudi Arabia that have been at loggerheads for a long time now, announced mending of their diplomatic ties. The deal between the two was brokered by China.


Interestingly, the announcement came on the day President Xi Jinping clinched a third term as China’s president. So do optics matter when striking such a deal?


And given India’s long-standing relationships with most of the Gulf states, and the large Indian diaspora in the Middle East, can India replace China as a more trusted partner and mediator in the region?

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