Published Paper Details:

Abstract The Link West approach of India is now its key strategy to win Middle East and the Central Asia. Indian foreign policy makers are in the view that India�s interest in near West countries are intimately linked with its energy, security, trade ,employment for Indians and remittances, which may bring peace and development in the region. In an attempt to strengthen ties with India�s near west neighbours, Indian government proposed its policy to compliment his Act East Policy. Although it is called Link West which gives it a bigger geographical connotation, it is mainly to focus on the West Asia. India�s justifications for greater involvement with the Middle East and Central Asia stem from the fact that it already has close links with countries in that area. It is already involved with several projects in the region, such as the Farkhor Air Base in Tajikistan and the Chabahar Port facility in Iran. The one phase of Chabahar Port has already been operational. The port is likely to ramp up trade between India, Afghanistan and Iran in the wake of Pakistan denying transit access to New Delhi. The Chabahar Project located on the Gulf of Oman, only 85 km from China�s Gawadar Port in Pakistan, is important for India as it will allow it to buy pass Pakistan in accessing Afghanistan and Central Asia. Moreover, India is also in the good position of being trusted by all the major factions in the Middle East. It has good relation equally with Iran, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iraq and the Gulf Sates. There are particularly large Indian community in the Gulf States and the development of UAE as a major financial and cultural centre for South Asian is another factor that India should consider leveraging as it reaches out to the region. Keeping these facts in view, India should focus its effort and energies to its West, where it can still become a substantial player, rather than the East, where it will likely remain a minor player. It should continue its close relation with the East, but its strategic horizons dictate that it should focus on the Indian Ocean and the Middle East �Central Asia region. In this perspective the focus of my paper will be mainly on the following objectives. ? The concept of Link West Policy; ? To trace the traditional relationship of India with near west countries; ? To enquire about the outcomes of the bilateral relations; ? To find out the prospect of peace and development in this region; ? Conclusion.