India, Dec. 21 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent three-nation visit to Jordan, Ethiopia and Oman represents a clear sharpening of India's economic diplomacy at a moment when global trade is under strain, protectionist tendencies are re-emerging and supply chains are being reworked across continents. The tour was not a routine diplomatic exercise; it was a strategically structured engagement aimed at widening India's trade reach, securing durable market access and improving the global competitiveness of Indian industry across West Asia and Africa.

What emerges most clearly from the visit is a shift in India's external posture. Partnerships are no longer built around symbolism or rhetoric. Instead, they are being anchored in tangibl...