© The Author(s) 2019 33
P. R. Kumaraswamy, Md. M. Quamar, India’s Saudi Policy,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-0794-2_3
CHAPTER 3Drifting Apart
In many ways 1962 proved to be a defining moment in the Indo- Saudi rela-
tions and precipitated the downward slide. India’s limited bilateral political
engagements under Jawaharlal Nehru took a turn for the worst due to three
closely-knit developments, namely, domestic and regional power struggles,
the formation of World Muslim League and India’s China debacle. These,
in turn, created mistrust and contributed to both the countries drifting apart
from one another. The next high-level political engagement took more than
26 years to materialize after Nehru’s 1956 visit when King Khalid al-Saud
hosted Indira Gandhi in 1982. However, a royal visit to India had to wait
for 2006, more than half a century after King Saud’s 1955 visit.
The latter part of the Cold War was eventful and challenging for both
the countries and generated a power asymmetry that was widening and
appeared unbridgeable. From being a recipient of annual subsidy from
London in the early years of its existence, the Kingdom became a major
player in the Middle East and beyond. The commercial-scale discovery of
oil in 1938 transformed the socio-economic conditions of the predomi-
nantly tribal society. In the wake of the oil crisis of 1973 Saudi Arabia
became a power house of crude oil and a swing producer which could
determine the flow and price of oil in the international market. Already the
June War of 1967 signalled a regional shift with pan-Arabism led by Nasser
giving way to pan-Islamism championed by the al-Saud. The ascendance
of Saudi fortunes radically altered its political influence, economic power,
diplomatic clout and, above all, energy power.