Mohammed Soliman argues that the traditional 'Middle East' framework is outdated because it centers Europe and obscures the region’s growing integration with Asia. In his view, 'West Asia' better captures the economic and strategic pull of the Indian Ocean, linking the Arabian Peninsula with the Indian subcontinent. India is central to this shift, with deep trade ties to the Gulf, millions of citizens living there, and new economic corridors binding South Asia and the Gulf into a shared geoeconomic space.

Reflecting on the Iran war, Soliman cautions against declaring Tehran strategically weakened. While military strikes may degrade capabilities, they do not dismantle decades of asymmetric networks or missile development. He argues that premature claims of victory have long produced strategic miscalculations in the region.

Soliman is critical of Washington’s current approach, saying it departs from a strategy of offshore balancing that would preserve regional equilibrium while focusing resources on the Indo-Pacific. Direct confrontation with Iran, he warns, risks escalation, strains munitions stockpiles, and could ultimately benefit China if Tehran emerges entrenched and the global economy is further destabilized.

For India, the war presents a lasting dilemma. New Delhi is trying to balance ties with Iran, Israel, and the United States simultaneously, but the conflict’s fallout, including energy shocks and a distracted Washington, complicates that effort. Soliman warns that if Tehran consolidates its position, it will remember India’s growing alignment with Israel and deepening Gulf partnerships, underscoring that in geopolitics, relationships have memory.