Dubai: In the winter of 1956, The Times correspondent David Holden embarked on a fascinating journey through the Arabian Peninsula, a region deeply intertwined with the British Indian Empire. During his travels through Bahrain, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Oman, Holden observed the profound remnants of British India’s influence. Attending a garden durbar in honor of Queen Victoria’s appointment as Empress of India, he noted the strong connections that linked Delhi through Hyderabad to the shores of South Arabia.
According to BBC, in the early 20th century, nearly a third of the Arabian Peninsula was under the jurisdiction of the British Indian Empire. From Aden to Kuwait, these territories were governed from Delhi, with oversight by the Indian Political Service and security provided by Indian troops. The Interpretation Act of 1889 legally incorporated these protectorates as part of India, with Indian passports issued as far west as Aden, which functioned as India’s westernmost port and was administered as part of Bombay Province.
Despite the significant reach of the Indian Empire, this Arabian extension was largely unknown to the British and Indian public at the time. Maps displaying the full extent of India’s territories were kept secret to avoid tensions with the Ottomans and later the Saudis. Nevertheless, by the 1920s, shifting political landscapes prompted the British to reconsider the borders. The first major change came on April 1, 1937, with the separation of Aden from India, marking the beginning of the end of Indian administrative control over the region.
The Gulf states remained under the governance of the Indian Government for another decade. British officials contemplated whether India or Pakistan would administer the Persian Gulf post-independence. However, the apparent lack of interest from Delhi officials led to the final separation of Gulf states from India on April 1, 1947, just months before India and Pakistan gained independence.
Despite the significance of this administrative shift, it went largely unnoticed. Had the decision been different, the states of the Persian Gulf Residency might have become part of India or Pakistan, similar to other princely states. British Prime Minister Clement Attlee’s proposal to withdraw from Arabian territories alongside India was met with resistance, resulting in continued British presence in the Gulf until 1971, when Britain abandoned its colonial commitments east of Suez.
As David Holden reflected in July, the Arabian Raj was the Indian Empire’s last stronghold. Gulf states, from Bahrain to Dubai, have since distanced themselves from their historical connections to British India, emphasizing their ancient sovereignty. Yet, private memories of the era persist, particularly regarding the dramatic socio-economic shifts that have transformed the Gulf region.
Today, Dubai stands as a testament to this transformation, a thriving metropolis with a rich history intertwined with the British Indian Empire. The millions of Indians and Pakistanis residing there may be unaware of the historical possibility that the oil-rich Gulf could have been part of their nations. A quiet bureaucratic decision, made during the twilight of empire, severed that link, leaving only echoes of the past.