In a striking departure from the prevailing sentiment among many countries in the Global South, India has emerged as a staunch supporter of Israel amidst the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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| Indian PM Narendra Modi during his speech in the US House of Congress in 2023 |
The lucidity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks after the Hamas assault was seen to be lacking, as he expressed being “deeply disturbed by the news of the terrorist attack in Israel…We express our support for Israel at this challenging period as an act of solidarity. The Indian Express newspaper stated on August 8th that there has been a discernible departure from the previously observed diplomatic approach of New Delhi in reaction to conflicts between Israel and Palestinian terrorists. This departure signifies a deviation from the carefully orchestrated balancing act that has been a defining characteristic of India’s prior replies.
What factors contributed to the measured response after the commencement of hostilities by Russia in February 2022? India has always identified itself as a non-aligned nation. The Indian government actively engages in what it terms as “multiple alliances” and strategically chooses relationships that align with its own national goals.
According to Samir Saran, the President of Observer Research Foundation, a prominent Indian think tank that provides advisory services to the government, the current state of geopolitics is marked by the prevalence of perceived vested interests. The author discusses the concept of “limited liability partnerships among nations.” India’s distinct response to the attacks on Ukraine and Israel, both of which transgressed international law, may be elucidated by its adoption of a balancing strategy, sometimes referred to as a seesaw policy, by certain analysts.
India has maintained a longstanding amicable association with Russia, which was formally solidified by a bilateral friendship treaty signed between India and the Soviet Union in 1971. then, the Soviet Union and then Russia became as the primary provider of military equipment to India.
Currently, the Indian armed forces rely on the collaborative efforts of Russia in terms of its weaponry inventory. India now engages in the importation of energy resources from Russia under advantageous conditions, despite having previously reduced its reliance and actively pursuing diversification efforts.
During the pivotal vote in the United Nations General Assembly, which garnered significant support in denouncing Russia’s aggressive military actions, India opted to abstain from casting a vote. Subsequently, Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar unequivocally emphasized the prioritization of India’s economic interests above the pursuit of isolating Russia.
India’s foreign and security policy is designed to prevent alignment with any one geopolitical faction, so it has rejected the Western request to participate in sanctions imposed on Russia.
In contrast to Ukraine, India retains a high degree of political and economic interconnectedness with Israel. However, their amicability was not always evident. The Israeli population expressed great enthusiasm at India’s attainment of independence from British colonial rule in 1947.
Mahatma Gandhi had earlier articulated his strong criticism over the establishment of Israel in 1948, asserting that “Palestine belongs to the Arabs, in a manner akin to England belonging to the English and France to the French.” Forcing Jews onto Arabs is morally incorrect and violates principles of humanity.
The enduring aloofness shown by India towards Israel remained unchanged for an extended period, with India aligning itself with all United Nations resolutions that denounced Israel’s policies against Palestine until the year 2015. India has the distinction of being the first non-Arab nation to acknowledge the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the only and legitimate representation of the Palestinian people. In the year 2015, India chose to abstain from voting in the United Nations Human Rights Committee for the first instance, namely at a session when Israel was expected to confront allegations of war crimes before the International Criminal Court.
Nevertheless, it is certain that there were instances of interaction between the nations of Israel and India. Zionism garnered significant support not just from Hindu nationalists in India, but also from Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, who expressed much admiration for the Zionist endeavor of state-building. Nevertheless, Jawaharlal Nehru declined to provide diplomatic recognition to Israel due to his concerns over the potential impact on India’s non-alignment policy and its relationship with Arab states.
India had rejected Israel’s overtures for a period exceeding forty years. Diplomatic ties between Israel and India were established in 1992. The prolonged indecisiveness of the Indian administration might also be attributed to India’s reliance on oil imports from the Middle East. Currently, the two nations maintain robust commercial connections characterized by substantial yearly growth rates in addition to fostering strong ties in the fields of agriculture and culture.
Israel has emerged as a significant weapons provider to India, sometimes ranking as the second most important source of armaments. Approximately 40 percent of Israel’s total armament exports are directed towards India. Israeli firms played a significant role in the modernization of the Indian armed forces, namely in upgrading the outdated Soviet MiG-21s and other fighter aircraft.
Israel has been actively involved in the provision of electronic systems and rockets to facilitate the upgrade of many weapon categories over an extended period of time. The agreement facilitates collaborative efforts in the manufacturing of anti-aircraft missiles. Based on estimations provided by the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the total value of Israeli weapons shipments to India for the preceding five-year period amounted to $1.8 billion.
To bolster its defense capabilities in response to China’s assertive attitude, India has purchased more weaponry from Israel. During a diplomatic visit to India in June 2022, Indian military Minister Rajnath Singh and his Israeli counterpart Benny Gantz engaged in discussions aimed at enhancing bilateral ties. The focal point of their deliberations revolved around the potential deepening of Israeli businesses’ participation in the Indian military sector.
The post-September 11, 2001 era saw a notable escalation in the bilateral ties between India and Israel, which may be attributed to the ongoing “War on Terror.” Both nations have seen significant challenges stemming from acts of terrorism. Israel has had ongoing difficulties due to the unsolved issue of Palestine, while India has experienced past encounters with the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka and continues to face ongoing security concerns related to the disputed region of Kashmir, which remains a point of contention between India and Pakistan.
In the year 2008, India had a significant event comparable to the September 11 attacks in the United States. Official records indicate that a total of 166 individuals, including Israeli nationals, lost their lives in a terrorist assault. The focus of the assault was tourist sites and Jewish establishments inside the city of Mumbai.
The Israeli notion of national security later gained significant favor in India. The military forces and police might perhaps derive valuable insights from the “Israeli experience”. As a result of mounting public pressure, the Indian government has subsequently embraced a more stringent military stance against those suspected of terrorism.
A team from India embarked on a tour to Israel, subsequently leading to the establishment of a commando squad in Mumbai that received training from Israeli forces. India developed a centralized electronic monitoring system with the aid of Israeli technological expertise, enabling full surveillance of private conversations. The well recognized Israeli surveillance software known as Pegasus was also used.
The bilateral ties between Israel and India have evolved as a result of their shared commitment to combating terrorism, and have remained uninterrupted subsequent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel in 2017 and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reciprocal visit in 2018. The establishment of diplomatic relations in both the 25th and 30th years served as catalysts for the subsequent growth and deepening of bilateral ties. India is anticipated to persist in the pursuit of this strategy as long as it aligns with its vested interests.
The author Prof. Dr. Herbert Wulf is former director of the Bonn International Center for Conflict Studies (BICC).
Source: IPG