B. S. Dara,
India’s foreign policy is often described as pragmatic, rooted in civilizational values, and shaped by the compulsions of geography. In the current climate of intensifying conflicts in West Asia, the Indo–Israel relationship is drawing renewed attention. Israel finds itself increasingly isolated in parts of the global community, facing criticism over its ongoing military campaigns. Yet India, rather than distancing itself, has visibly inched closer to Tel Aviv, strengthening bonds across defense, technology, and diplomatic platforms.
This shift is not a sudden departure but the culmination of decades of quiet cooperation, now finding overt expression under the pressures of a turbulent world order. An unbiased, apolitical analysis reveals that India’s recalibration towards Israel is shaped less by sentiment and more by necessity, security imperatives, and the desire to balance multiple global partnerships without compromising its independent stance.
For much of the 20th century, India’s position on Israel was cautious. New Delhi was one of the earliest champions of the Palestinian cause, shaped by solidarity with the Arab world, the Non-Aligned Movement, and its own large Muslim population. Diplomatic recognition of Israel came only in 1950, and full normalization of relations had to wait until 1992.
Yet beneath this restrained public posture lay a discreet but steady engagement. Israel supplied defense equipment during India’s wars with China in 1962 and Pakistan in 1965 and 1971. Agricultural cooperation began quietly in the 1970s. The relationship, while understated, never vanished.
The end of the Cold War, economic liberalization, and shifting global alliances created new room for maneuver. As India opened up to the world, Israel became an increasingly important partner, particularly in areas where it held niche strengths, defense technology, agriculture, and intelligence cooperation.
Since the 1990s, Indo–Israel ties have expanded rapidly. Defense trade forms the backbone of the relationship. Israel is now among India’s top three arms suppliers, providing drones, radar systems, missiles, and electronic warfare equipment. Beyond defense, cooperation has deepened in agriculture, cybersecurity, counter-terrorism, and space research.
What makes the current moment different is the visibility of this relationship. Indian leaders no longer hesitate to highlight ties with Israel openly. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2017 visit to Tel Aviv, without combining it with a stop in Ramallah, was emblematic. The message was subtle but clear: India values ties with Israel on their own merit, without constantly calibrating them against its Palestine policy.The recent escalation in West Asia, where Israel finds itself embroiled in prolonged hostilities and facing growing isolation in international forums, has made New Delhi’s balancing act more delicate.
On one hand, India has historically voiced support for a two-state solution, backed humanitarian assistance for Palestinians, and avoided being seen as partisan in the Arab–Israeli conflict. On the other hand, Israel remains a crucial defense partner at a time when India faces its own pressing security challenges, from border tensions with China to persistent instability in Pakistan.
This duality explains why India’s statements on recent conflicts have been carefully worded. New Delhi condemned terrorism against Israel while simultaneously calling for restraint, civilian protection, and humanitarian access in Gaza. In effect, India is striving to retain credibility with both sides: affirming solidarity with Israel against terrorism while not alienating Arab states with whom it shares historic, energy-driven, and diaspora-linked relations.
Several factors explain why India continues to engage Israel robustly despite global criticism:
Israeli technology fills critical gaps in India’s arsenal. From the Barak missile systems to Heron drones, Israel offers battlefield-tested equipment delivered quickly, often with fewer bureaucratic hurdles than Western suppliers.Intelligence sharing between the two countries is extensive, especially in areas such as cyber defense, border security, and counter-insurgency. India views Israel’s hard lessons in combating asymmetric warfare as relevant to its own threats.With India’s water stress worsening, Israel’s innovations in drip irrigation, desalination, and crop resilience are of immense value. Agricultural centers of excellence run jointly in several Indian states showcase tangible benefits.Israel may be globally isolated in some quarters, but it remains deeply entrenched in U.S. strategic calculus. For India, closer ties with Israel also indirectly strengthen its partnership with Washington.
Critics often argue that India’s embrace of Israel risks alienating Arab partners. However, the regional context has shifted dramatically. Many Arab states themselves are recalibrating their ties with Israel, whether through the Abraham Accords or quiet intelligence cooperation.
India’s relationships with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, especially Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, remain robust. These partnerships are driven by energy interdependence, trade, and the presence of over 8 million Indian expatriates in the Gulf. The key insight here is that India’s outreach to Israel no longer automatically undermines its Arab friendships, a contrast with the Cold War decades.
The isolation of Israel in certain international forums, particularly in the UN General Assembly where resolutions critical of Tel Aviv often pass with large majorities, has not deterred India from deepening bilateral ties.
New Delhi’s approach is guided by realism: voting patterns at the UN need not dictate the entirety of a nation’s foreign policy. By abstaining in some resolutions and supporting others, India signals that it will not blindly align but instead calibrate issue by issue.
This calibrated neutrality allows India to preserve its historical goodwill with Palestinians while safeguarding its hard-won strategic gains with Israel. It is an exercise in balance, not bias.
Despite its pragmatic logic, this strategy is not without risks:Perception of Bias: Sections of the Arab street may interpret India’s overt warmth towards Israel as a dilution of its traditional support for Palestine.Millions of Indians live and work in the Gulf. Any misstep in foreign policy could translate into economic or social pressures on this community.As images of civilian suffering circulate globally, India must walk a fine line between strategic necessity and moral responsibility.
The Indo–Israel relationship today is not a romance but a partnership rooted in necessity, convergence, and mutual benefit. India does not seek to replace one set of friends with another; rather, it seeks to engage all players to secure its national interests while contributing to regional stability.
In a surging war situation, when passions run high and global fault lines deepen, India’s approach has been to maintain autonomy of decision-making. It continues to call for peace, stability, and dialogue while expanding critical partnerships, even with states under scrutiny.
Far from being a betrayal of its past, India’s shift towards Israel reflects a mature foreign policy: one that acknowledges historical commitments but is not trapped by them, one that looks squarely at today’s realities while keeping tomorrow’s interests in mind.
For Israel, India is not just another partner but a rising global power with whom it shares technological synergy, democratic values, and security imperatives. For India, Israel is not a replacement for Arab friendships but a complementary pillar in a wider architecture of engagement.
The challenge for New Delhi is to ensure that this relationship grows without eroding its credibility as a voice of balance, justice, and peace in the international community.
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