Md. Muddassir Quamar is Associate Fellow in the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies & Analyses, New Delhi. He holds a PhD in Middle East studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University. His doctoral thesis examined social developments in Saudi Arabia between 1991 and 2010 within a conceptual framework of Islamic modernism. Dr. Quamar’s areas of interest include Politics & Societies in the Gulf, Middle East Strategic Affairs, and Political Islam.His research papers have appeared in leading international journals such as Contemporary Arab Affairs, Digest of Middle East Studies, Journal of Arabian Studies and Journal of South Asian and Middle Eastern Studies. He has co-edited an anthology titled Contemporary Persian Gulf: Essays in Honour of GulshanDietl, Prakash C. Jain and Girijesh Pant, contributed chapters to edited volumes and regularly contributes opinion articles on strategic developments in Middle East and India-Gulf relations. Dr. Quamar has been a visiting fellow in King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, Riyadh and serves as Associate Editor of Contemporary Review of the Middle East (Sage, India).
His publications include:
Turkey and the Regional Flashpoint in Libya
November 2020
Volume: 44
Issue: 6
Commentaries
Holocaust Denial and Minimization in the Indian Urdu Press
Associate fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Md. Muddassir Quamar’s Chapter ‘Holocaust Denial and Minimization in the Indian Urdu Press’ has been published in the Volume ‘Conceptualizing Mass Violence: Representations, Recollections, and Reinterpretations’, edited by Dr. Navras J. Aafreedi and Dr. Priya Singh (London: Routledge).
India-GCC Relations: Looking Beyond the Pandemic
India and the GCC countries should further strengthen cooperation in the fields of healthcare, education, defence and niche areas like space exploration, artificial intelligence, cyber security, bioinformatics, and renewable energy.
India & Qatar To Reinvigorate Bilateral Ties
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Md. Muddassir Quamar’s Comment ‘India & Qatar To Reinvigorate Bilateral Ties’ has been published by the All India Radio (AIR) World Service, an external services division of AIR, on December 30, 2020.
India is making a concentrated effort to boost bilateral relations with the Gulf countries. Qatar is an important partner for India in the Gulf, and the visit of Dr. Jaishankar is likely to give a boost to bilateral relations in trade, commerce and investments, writes Dr. Quamar.
Changing regional geopolitics and the foundations of a rapprochement between Arab Gulf and Israel
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Md. Muddassir Quamar’s research article ‘Changing regional geopolitics and the foundations of a rapprochement between Arab Gulf and Israel’ has been published in Global Affairs, the journal of European International Studies Association.
The article takes a deeper look at developments leading up to the UAE's decision, followed by Bahrain, to normalize relations with Israel. It explains the rationale behind the decision from the "threat perception" and "alliance building" frameworks.
India’s Growing Defence Cooperation with the Gulf
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Md. Muddassir Quamar's article 'India’s Growing Defence Cooperation with the Gulf' has been published in Raksha Anirveda on December 24, 2020.
The commentary on the COAS visit to the UAE & KSA underlines how common security threats are leading India & Gulf to develop defence ties.
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Saudi Arabia: Navigating a Perilous Regional and International Politics
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Md. Muddassir Quamar’s Chapter ‘Saudi Arabia: Navigating a Perilous Regional and International Politics’ has been published in a Volume titled ‘Political Faultlines in the Middle East’, edited by Prof. Kingshuk Chatterjee, University of Kolkata, and published by Knowledge World Publishers.
The Chapter discusses the Saudi foreign policy priorities and challenges in a changing regional and global geopolitics.
India-Bahrain Ties Set To Strengthen
Associate Fellow, Manohar Parrikar IDSA, Dr. Md. Muddassir Quamar’s Commentary ‘India-Bahrain Ties Set to Strengthen’ has been published by the All India Radio (AIR) World Service, an External Services Division of AIR, on November 28, 2020.
The Commentary analyses India-Bahrain relations in the light of the recent visit of the External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar to the island nation.
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Turkish Foreign Policy: From ‘Zero Problem’ to Zero Friends
Turkish global power aspirations are hindered by a lack of regional influence. Ankara wishes to enhance strategic depth in the neighborhood. Deviating from a soft power approach, President Erdogan has increasingly adopted a confrontational foreign policy.
The UAE-Israel Agreement: A Step Towards Peace?
The normalisation of relations between the UAE and Israel is a historic development and a step forward in the rapprochement between the Arab Gulf and Israel.