Relationship dossier
India
Western Sahara
Relationship assessment
India has recognized the SADR and supported a UN-led process on Western Sahara’s status.
India toward Western Sahara
+20India recognized the SADR in 1985, withdrew recognition in 2000, and restored it in 2004. India has also supported a UN-led process concerning Western Sahara’s status.
Western Sahara toward India
Not assessedOverall relationship
Not assessedHow to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
India has recognized the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), the government claiming sovereignty over Western Sahara, and has supported a UN-led process on the territory’s status. India withdrew recognition in 2000 and restored it in 2004. Information about substantive SADR government cooperation with India is limited.
Key developments
India withdrew recognition of the SADR.
India restored recognition of the SADR.
Major uncertainties
- The extent of practical cooperation between India and the SADR is unclear.
- The precise scope of India’s current diplomatic engagement on Western Sahara is unclear.