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India's Gulf Strategy Revives 'Bombay School' Focus on Maritime Security, 9 Mn Workers, $50 Bn Remittances

Intl. RelationsCulture & HistorySecurity & DefenceHIGH
Target:UPSC GS-IIMPSCPrelims MediumMains High
07 Apr 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:~9 million workers~$50 billion remittancesFirst Anglo-Afghan War 1839-42
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What This Article Covers

1.India's strategic priorities have decisively shifted to the Arab Gulf, treating it as immediate neighbourhood rather than periphery.

2.This shift revives the historical debate between the 'Bombay School' (maritime, outward-looking) and 'Ludhiana School' (continental, land-focused).

3.The Gulf's centrality is underpinned by 9 million Indian workers, ~$50 billion annual remittances, and critical energy/logistics dependencies, offering a counterweight to destabilising impulses from Pakistan and Iran.

The Big Picture
Prelims · MediumMains · High

India's strategic pivot towards the Arab Gulf marks a revival of the historical 'Bombay School' of maritime thought, emphasizing sea lanes and economic integration. This shift is driven by critical dependencies: 9 million Indian workers and $50 billion in annual remittances. The move rebalances India's traditional 'Ludhiana School' focus on continental, land-based security threats from the northwest.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Indian Workers in GulfNearly 9 million
Annual RemittancesNearly $50 billion
First Anglo-Afghan War1839-42
Key Historical Figure (Bombay School)Mountstuart Elphinstone, John Malcolm
Key Historical Figure (Ludhiana School)Henry Lawrence, John Lawrence, Claude Wade

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Indian Workers in Gulf: Nearly 9 million
  • ›Annual Remittances: Nearly $50 billion
  • ›Target this Data: ~9 million Indian workers in the Gulf and ~$50 billion in annual remittances.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: The historical 'Bombay Presidency' and its strategic thinkers (Elphinstone, Malcolm).
  • ›Target this Legal Point: The security arrangements with Arab coastal principalities that later became the Trucial States.

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Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

The 'Bombay School' of strategic thought was historically shaped by the commercial interests of which communities, as mentioned in the article?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the strategic schools of thought discussed in the article:

1. The 'Bombay School' viewed Persia and Arabia as the natural outer ring of India's defence and focused on maritime security.

2. The 'Ludhiana School' was continental in orientation and considered Afghanistan as the lynchpin for India's defence.

3. The First Anglo-Afghan War (1839-42) is presented as a decisive victory that validated the strategic approach of the Ludhiana School.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the article, what is the approximate annual value of remittances sent by Indian workers from the Gulf region?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary strategic implication, as per the article, of India's revived 'Bombay School' approach towards the Arab Gulf?

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