Browsing: Energy

India is uniquely vulnerable to Gulf instability, where even limited escalation triggers inflation, shipping shocks, and diaspora anxiety. This structural exposure forces New Delhi into caution and de‑escalation, narrowing its strategic options and making it the first to pay for regional crises.

Chinese firms dominate Iraq’s upstream sector by accepting low-profit terms, while state-backed financing secures critical infrastructure deals. Baghdad also seeks Western investment for technical expertise and to mitigate U.S. sanctions risk, maintaining a dual-track strategy to balance energy partners.

Iraq’s reliance on affordable Chinese goods and investment, paired with political alignment among Shia elites, embeds Beijing’s long-term influence. However, Baghdad maintains critical security and financial ties to the U.S., reflecting a constrained hedging strategy.