This IPL the presence of the Khaleej is palpable, Qatar Airways sponsoring RCB (not a great choice) and Saudi Tourism and Aramco are title sponsors of the IPL along with Tata.

Riyadh flexing its soft power in India through the IPL is a sign of Delhi’s position as a market. Al Ula is magical and the Red Sea Film Festival attracted the best names from Bombay. Relationship between the Gulf is more than stereotypes of oil and remittances. The repositioning towards multipolar world from Riyadh’s perspective includes the recent warming up with Tehran through Beijing. It was in the works since Saudi’s renewable energy powerhouse ACWA Power, has investment from the Silk Road Fund, an OBOR investment vehicle and uses Chinese contractors throughout its project portfolio and AIIB has been a financier of its Solar Park in Oman.