Ukrainian Policymaker (Dec 2023)
The Evolution of India-Israel Relations: 1948-2023
Abstract
India-Israel ties follow an interesting trajectory. From India’s refusal to the partition plan of historic Palestine to carve a separate Jewish state in 1948 to the very close bonds that now define bilateral ties, the relationship has come a long way. The recent Hamas-Israel war has put the spotlight on the IndiaIsrael bilateral relationship. India, which while since 1948 had a decidedly pro-Palestinian approach, has also over the decades been cultivating strong and close ties with Israel. These ties have most specifically flourished in defense, but are not restricted to it. Following the October 7, 2023 attacks by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as did many Western leaders, immediately condemned the Hamas attack and later reiterated that the «people of India stand firmly with Israel in this difficult hour.» This pronouncement immediately sparked outraged commentaries, on New Delhi’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Charges were leveled against Modi for a «muscular» foreign and domestic policy, in a bid to emulate Israel’s tactics in the Palestinian Territories, based on a shared «Islamophobia» of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Likud party in Israel. This paper will attempt to unpack India’s evolving relationship with Israel and outline factors driving this relationship and whether these have eroded India’s long-standing position on the Palestinian cause.
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