The rise of minilateralism, the Indo-Pacific context, and the Arab Gulf states

This paper examines the potential of minilateralism in the context of the Arab Gulf states, given changes in the global geopolitical environment. As major powers such as the United States and China vie for security and economic opportunities, the Gulf will play a crucial role. Unlike the Cold War's simple bipolar order, the 2020s are likely to involve less formal and more dynamic arrangements, termed 'minilateralism'. This paper details the sources, nature, and scope of minilateralism, comparing it to multilateralism, and considering its strengths and weaknesses. It then examines why minilateralism is potentially appealing to Gulf leaderships and looks at possible cases and modes of minilateralism that may emerge in and around the Gulf, including India's proposed Arabian-Mediterranean Corridor and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. The paper's conclusions are tentative, but there is evidence that the Gulf states are revisiting their foreign policies and beginning to adopt minilateral arrangements.