Editing Indira Gandhi (section)

=== Middle East ===
Gandhi remained a staunch supporter of the Palestinians in the [[Arab–Israeli conflict]] and was critical of the Middle East diplomacy sponsored by the United States.{{sfn|Gupte|2012|p=5}} [[Israel]] was viewed as a religious state, and thus [[Two-nation theory|an analogue]] to India's [[archrival]] Pakistan. Indian diplomats hoped to win Arab support in countering Pakistan in [[Kashmir]]. Nevertheless, Gandhi authorised the development of a secret channel of contact and security assistance with Israel in the late 1960s. Her lieutenant, [[P. V. Narasimha Rao]], later became prime minister and approved full diplomatic ties with Israel in 1992.<ref name="AKapur">{{cite book|first=Ashok|last=Kapur|title=India: From Regional to World Power |url=https://archive.org/details/indiafromregiona00kapu|url-access=limited|publisher=[[Routledge]] |year=2006 |page=[https://archive.org/details/indiafromregiona00kapu/page/n225 215] |isbn=978-0-415-32804-3}}</ref>

[[File:Pahlavis meet Indira Gandhi in India, 1970.jpg|thumb|left|Gandhi meeting the [[Shah of Iran]] [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]] and [[Shahbanu]] [[Farah Pahlavi]] during their state visit to India in 1970]]

India's pro-Arab policy had mixed success. Establishment of close ties with the socialist and secular [[Baathist]] regimes to some extent neutralised Pakistani propaganda against India.<ref name="Ghosh">{{cite book|first=Anjali|last=Ghosh|title=India's Foreign Policy |publisher=[[Pearson plc|Pearson]]|year=2009|pages=306–307|isbn=978-81-317-1025-8}}</ref> However, the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 presented a dilemma for the Arab and Muslim states of the Middle East as the war was fought by two states both friendly to the Arabs.<ref name="Kaur">{{cite book|first=Ranjit|last=Kaur|title=Islamic Co-Operation and Unity|publisher=Deep and Deep Publications |year=1993 |pages=168–170|isbn=978-81-7100-564-2}}</ref> The progressive Arab regimes in [[Egypt]], [[Syria]], and [[Algeria]] chose to remain neutral, while the conservative [[pro-American]] Arab monarchies in [[Jordan]], [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Kuwait]], and [[United Arab Emirates]] openly supported Pakistan. Egypt's stance was met with dismay by the Indians, who had come to expect close co-operation with the Baathist regimes.<ref name="Ghosh" /> But, the death of [[Nasser]] in 1970 and [[Anwar Sadat|Sadat]]'s growing friendship with [[Riyadh]], and his mounting differences with Moscow, constrained Egypt to a policy of neutrality.<ref name="Ghosh" /> Gandhi's overtures to [[Muammar Gaddafi]] were rebuffed.<ref name="Kaur" /> [[Libya]] agreed with the Arab monarchies in believing that Gandhi's intervention in East Pakistan was an attack against [[Islam]].<ref name="Kaur" />

[[File:Nehru and Indira Gandhi visit Einstein.jpg|right|thumb|Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru visit [[Albert Einstein]]]]

The 1971 war became a temporary stumbling block in growing [[India–Iran relations|Indo-Iranian ties]].<ref name="Ghosh" /> Although [[Iran]] had earlier characterized the Indo-Pakistani war in 1965 as Indian aggression, the [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi|Shah]] had launched an effort at rapprochement with India in 1969 as part of his effort to secure support for a larger Iranian role in the [[Persian Gulf]].<ref name="Ghosh" /> Gandhi's tilt towards Moscow and her dismemberment of Pakistan was perceived by the Shah as part of a larger anti-Iran conspiracy involving India, [[Iraq]], and the Soviet Union.<ref name="Ghosh" /> Nevertheless, Iran had resisted Pakistani pressure to activate the [[Baghdad Pact]] and draw the Central Treaty Organisation (CENTO) into the conflict.<ref name="Ghosh" /> Gradually, Indian and Iranian disillusionment with their respective regional allies led to a renewed partnership between the nations.<ref name=hunter>{{cite book|last=Hunter|first=Shireen|title=Iran's Foreign Policy in the Post-Soviet Era: Resisting the New International Order|publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]]|isbn=978-0-8047-5550-4|date=2010|pages=120–121}}</ref> She was unhappy with the lack of support from India's Arab allies during the war with Pakistan, while the Shah was apprehensive at the growing friendship between Pakistan and [[Arab states of the Persian Gulf]], especially [[Saudi Arabia]], and the growing influence of Islam in Pakistani society.<ref name=hunter /> There was an increase in Indian economic and military co-operation with Iran during the 1970s.<ref name=hunter /> The 1974 India-Iranian agreement led to Iran supplying nearly 75 percent of India's crude oil demands.<ref name=pande>{{cite book|last=Pande|first=Aparna|title=Explaining Pakistan's Foreign Policy|publisher=[[Taylor & Francis]], 2011|isbn=978-1-136-81894-3|year=2011|page=146}}</ref> Gandhi appreciated the Shah's disregard of [[Pan-Islamism]] in diplomacy.<ref name=hunter />