Date: 17/09/2022

Relevance: GS-2: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Key Phrases: Abraham Accords, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, Fraternity, Brotherhood, Religious freedom, Intercultural, Traditional support, I2U2, Mutual interest, Arab countries.

Why in News?

• On September 15, two years ago, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed the United States-brokered Abraham Accords.

Context:

• The Abraham Accords refer to the collective agreement between the United States (US), the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel, and was signed in September 2020.
• These Accords were later extended to the countries of Sudan, Bahrain and Morocco and marks the first normalisation of ties between Israel and an Arab country since Jordan in 1994.
• The Accords were called ‘the Abraham Accords’ as the three major monotheistic religions of the world, Islam, Christianity and Judaism, all find their roots in Prophet Abraham.
• Thus, the designation of the “Abraham Accords” was not a random or an arbitrary act, but a well-designed feat to remind people of their common ancestry and inculcate the mentality of fraternity and brotherhood in their minds.
• The Accords were named ‘the Abraham Accords’ to reiterate that though the history of the three faiths is rife with war, animosity and conflict, their broad beliefs and faith are shared and they are children of the same God.

Significance of Abraham Accords:

• The declaration of the Accords prioritises and recognises strengthening and maintaining peace in West Asia.
• The Accords highlight religious freedom, intercultural and interfaith dialogue.
• The Accords also pursue an end to conflict and radicalisation and call attention to art, medicine, science and commerce and their role in bringing countries together.
• The Accords seek to expand friendly relations between Israel and its neighbours in the spirit of a shared commitment to a better future.
• They would also work towards counter-terrorism programmes and sign bilateral agreements in the fields of energy, education, healthcare, water etc.
• The Agreement between Israel and the Kingdom of Bahrain states their shared commitment to peace and security in the Middle East.
• They also recognised the sovereignty of the other and agreed to seek negotiations regarding tourism, culture, technology etc.

Challenges of the Abraham Accords:

• The Abraham Accords, though geopolitically transformational, are not without their drawbacks, the most prominent of which is the Palestinian cause.
• Despite the violence that has persisted after the Accords, the new ties remain unaltered indicating that Arab-Israeli ties have adopted a different trajectory and are slowly becoming independent of the Israeli-Palestine conflict.
• Additionally, this further exacerbates the divide with other nations such as Qatar and Turkey.
• Another issue is the change in administration in the US which has seemingly diluted the potential of the Accords.
• The Abraham Fund was set up as a part of the Accords and it delegated approximately 3 billion USD to development initiatives in the Middle East. However, the Biden administration failed to set up a replacement for the head of the fund who stepped down post the change in government and this fund has been frozen indefinitely.
• The apparent slackening of US interest in the Abraham Accords, especially after the Biden administration took over is a challenge to their success and extension.

India and the Abraham Accords:

• Although India officially welcomed the Abraham Accords, it reiterated its “traditional support” for the two-state solution, thus reiterating its stance on the Palestinian cause.
• The Abraham Accords provide the atmospherics for India to foster stronger ties with Arabs countries as well as Israel.
• As a result, some agreements have been signed between India and the members of the Accords.
• In October 2021, the Foreign Affairs Ministers from the four countries, the UAE, US, Israel and India virtually met and discussed potential partnerships and cooperation.
• This meeting eventually led to the formation of the grouping, now known as I2U2.
• The Israeli Ambassador to India, called this new grouping an ‘offspring’ of the Abraham Accords. It was also unofficially described as the “West Asian Quad” and the “Indo-Abrahamic construct”.
• He also added that India’s technological capabilities, finances from the UAE and Israel’s innovative capabilities could lead to further cooperation among the three nations.
• The boost to regional connectivity has also benefited the people of India. The thriving Indian diaspora throughout the Gulf can now fly directly from the UAE to Israel or from Israel to Bahrain.
• Indian students are travelling back and forth, obtaining easier access to our universities, and exploring international study programmes.
• The Accords have paved the way for greater regional and multinational cooperation. Expanding economic opportunities continue to reach India, and we have already seen major commercial collaborations between companies from the UAE, Israel, Bahrain and the United States with the Indian private sector.

What does I2U2 stand for?

• I2U2 Stands for I2 stands for India and Israel, whereas U2 stands for the USA and the UAE.
• These nations will focus on food security and defence, to create a new global standard.
• It will help to develop political alliances, and social alliances.
• The I2U2 group first virtual summit was held in July 2022 with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the US President Joe Biden, the Israeli Prime Minister Neftali Bennett, and the UAE President Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
• The grouping also called as ‘International Forum for Economic Cooperation’.

What is the aim of I2U2 grouping?

• Its stated aim is to discuss “common areas of mutual interest, to strengthen the economic partnership in trade and investment in our respective regions and beyond”.
• Six areas of cooperation have been identified by the countries mutually, and the aim is to encourage joint investments in water, energy, transportation, space, health, and food security.
• I2U2 grouping aims that with the help of “private sector capital and expertise”, the countries will look to modernise infrastructure, explore low carbon development avenues for industries, improve public health, and promote the development of critical emerging and green technologies.
• The grouping also points to India’s growing engagement with countries in West Asia including Israel, with whom India has developed closer ties in the last few years.

Way forward:

• Arab countries, which share a special bond with India and its people, are committed to exploring the full potential of the Accords as partners in peace and prosperity.
• In efforts to build upon the success of the Accords, United States, Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain - alongside India - will continue to prioritise the greatest benefit to our people and ensure lasting impact for generations to come.

Source: Indian Express

Mains Question:

Q. “Abraham Accords have led to greater regional cooperation, expanding opportunities for India.” Critically analyse the statement.