Apart from the shared values of democracy and freedom India
and Israel enjoy a unique relationship. While a dominant section of Hindu
society largely admired, Jewish nationalism and concurred with the moral and
political base of creation of Israel, India’s official position on Israel was
different. Having suffered the poignant partition along religious lines and obtained
independence from the colonial European clutches, India strongly upheld self-determination.
India supported the cause of Palestine. Consequently, it voted against the
partition of Palestine and Israel’s admission into UN in 1949. Being a strong
advocate of Non-aligned Movement, India had close relations with Arab League
and Russia, while Israel aligned with US and European World. In 1955, Prime
Minister Nehru dropped his plans of attending the Bandung conference to appease
the Arab World. India didn’t want to antagonize its 120 million strong Muslim
population and the Arab World.
Though India recognized state of Israel in 1950 and allowed
it to open embassy in Mumbai, Delhi established diplomatic relations with
Israel only in 1992 during the regime of Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. For
several decades, India adopted anti-Israeli policy in line with the popular
communist view. For long opposing Israel and its policies was considered
progressive. During the entire cold-war era bilateral relations were on low key
and largely informal. India established military ties with Israel in 1960’s and
sought limited assistance from it during the 1962 and 1965 wars. Israel was one
of the first few countries to recognize Bangladesh after the liberation war of
1971. Congress and left-leaning regimes, never publicly acknowledged the help
provided by Israel. After the collapse of Soviet Union, strategists began a
concerted campaign for normalization of ties with Israel. Kuwait war and Madrid
Peace Conference changed Indian stance. In December 1991, India voted for
repealing resolution of 1975 that equated Zionism with racism. Finally, in
January 1992, India adopted policy of engagement as opposed to Isolation and
irreversibly altered the Indo-Israeli policy. During the brief rule of
Janata party from 1977-79, Israeli foreign minister Moshe Dyan made a secret
visit to India.
Moreover, when sanctions on arms and technological transfers
were imposed in India following the nuclear tests in 1998, Israel was willing
to supply arms and weaponry during Kargil war of 1999. The crucial intelligence
inputs and imagery provided by Israel eventually turned the tides in favor of
India and Indian army could successfully hoist Indian flag on Kargil peak.
During the Operation Parakram launched in 2002, Israel supplied hardware
through special planes. But still India failed to publicly acknowledge Israeli
partnership.
While Indira Gandhi followed her father’s footsteps, Rajiv
Gandhi perturbed by Pakistan’s clandestine nuclear program and covert
operations aspired to build relations with Israel and met Israeli officials
openly. But real turn around in the Indo-Israeli relationships can be observed
from 1992. The tantalizing closeness between India and Israel can be attributed
to people to people connect. Judaism is one of the first foreign religions to
enter India. India is the only country where Jews were never persecuted. Jews
arrived on shores of India in different batches. India has the fourth largest
population of Jews after Israel, Russia and Iran. There are six Jewish groups
in India- Cochin Jews, Chennai Jews, Bene Israel (Maharashtrian) Jews, Baghdadi
Jews, Bnei Menashe (Mizo and Kuki tribes) and Bene Epharim (Telugu Jews). After
1950, Jews of Indian origin migrated to Israel and settled in a place called
Dimona which is now termed as Mini India. Also, several Indians travelled to Israel
to obtain training in agriculture and community development courses. Above all,
India secretly admired Israel for outstanding military prowess.
India and Israel, both democracies, are incessantly under
threat of belligerent neighbors, that nurture, harbor and encourage terrorism.
Despite being a victim of asymmetric warfare waged by its regional adversary,
India remained a soft state. While India continues to silently bear the brunt
of covert operations and terrorist attacks, Israel never winks. The retributive missions (Operation Wrath of
God to avenge the 1972 massacre), rescue operations (Operation Entebbe or
thunderbolt, Operation Isotope), daring military mission and audacious
cross-border raids against operatives that threatened national security
continues to galvanize Indian public and military experts as well.
India and Israel obtained independence from Britain within a
gap of few months and both faced the anarchy, chaos and finally waged wars. But
the scientific, economic and technological resurgence of Israel despite the
lack of any natural resources is truly inspiring. Currently Indo-Israeli
relations are based on the four pillars or areas of cooperation-agriculture,
water conservation, solar energy and diary production. The military cooperation
which was foundation for bilateral ties has now proportionately increased.
Though both countries have congenial relations ever since 1992, Congress always
tried to downplay ties with Jewish country when it is in power. However,
defence cooperation remained intact. In fact, in 2009, Israel displaced Russia
as the largest arms supplier to India. On the other hand, NDA regime eloquently
displayed it camaraderie with Israel. During the NDA regime, L. K. Advani became the
first Indian minister to visit Israel in 2000. In 2003 Israel President Ariel
Sharon visited India. By now it is evident that ascendancy of BJP is synonymous
to greater visibility of bilateral ties.
Gradually, there has been a swift policy change towards
Israel, India stopped initiating anti-Israel resolutions based on the
reevaluation that pro-Arab stance isn’t rewarded by the Arab World. Arab
countries never backed India on Kashmir issue. OIC (Organisation of Islamic
Cooperation) firmly stood by Pakistan and built support for Islamist terror
operatives. India began to realize that if countries like Jordan could support
Palestinian cause and carry on business with Israel, there is no point why
India shouldn’t adopt the same policy.
After Narendra Modi’s spectacular victory in 2014, Indo-Israeli
relations entered a new era. Bidding farewell to diffidence, India openly and
enthusiastically engaged with the Jewish nation. In September,2014 along the
sidelines of UN General Assembly sessions, Modi met his counterpart Benjamin
Netanyahu who announced that “sky is the limit” for the bilateral ties. After
Modi assumed power, India purchased $662 million worth arms (which is much
greater than the total Israeli purchases in the last three years), successfully
tested Barak-8 anti-missiles system. As the chief Minister of Gujarat, Modi
actively forged ties with Israel for investment and technology cooperation. In
2006, Modi visited Israel upon invitation when countries like US denied visa to
him for failing to control the 2002 riots. Hence it was widely speculated that
Modi will infuse new energy into the bilateral ties. With NDA headed by Modi in
power now, it is speculated that bilateral ties will be upswing. As expected,
India abstained from voting at UNHRC on Israel’s Operation Protective Edge launched
against Palestine. Similarly, it didn’t pass the resolution backed by Congress
and Communist parties in Indian Parliament condemning Israel over conflict in
Gaza. Unlike his predecessors, who repudiated Israeli partnership, Modi’s
affirmative Israeli policy is not shy of openly endorsing friendship with the
Jewish nation. Soon, rumors started making rounds that “India may end support
to Palestine at UN”. Putting rest to rumors, MEA reiterated that “there is no
change in India’s policy of extending traditionally strong support for the
Palestinian cause while maintaining good relations with Israel”. To this end,
India voted for a resolution on “the creation of database of companies
operating within illegal Israeli settlements strengthening the Boycott,
Divestment and Sanction (BDS), a global movement” (that steps up economic and
political pressure on Israel to comply with stated goals of BDS). Thus, India
enacted a balancing act.
In October 2015, President Pranab Mukherjee embarked on a
three-nation state visit to Jordan, Palestine and Israel. He became the first
Indian president to address the Knesset. This was followed by Sushma Swaraj’s
visit to Israel and Palestine in January, where she stated that Indo-Israeli
relations are of “utmost importance” to government of India. Later, Agriculture
Minister Radha Mohan Singh visited Israel in September to bolster the
Indo-Israeli collaboration in agriculture. Reports indicate that Prime Minister
Modi will travel to Israel early next year.
President Rivlin’s Visit
Currently, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin carrying a message
of friendship, arrived in New Delhi on a six-day visit on November 15th.
He is the first President to visit India in the past two decades. President
Ezer Weizman was the last President to visit India in 1997. The visit marks the
25th year of establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel. Accompanied
by a large entourage of Israeli business men and heads of educational
institutions, President Rivlin will visit Karnal, Chandigarh, Agra to oversee
the functioning and progress of collaborative projects of both countries. In
his final stopover, he will visit Mumbai Chabad house where six Jews were
killed.
Reinforcing the growing engagement with both countries, in
presence of Prime Minister Modi and President Rivlin, 10 MoU’s were exchanged.
These included pacts to strengthen cooperation in agriculture, investment,
education, water resource management, science and technology. The Indo-Israeli
Agricultural Project led by government of India in partnership with MASHAV
(Israel’s international development and cooperation agency) established 15
centers of excellence in agriculture across 9 states in India. Indian farmers
had immensely benefitted from the Israeli technology and training in
horticulture, micro-irrigation, cultivation, post-harvest management, orchard,
canopy and nursery management. The bilateral trade between India and Israel has
increased from $200 million in 1992 to $5.19 billion in 2011 and hovered around
$4.5 billion ever since. Initially the trade in diamonds formed the bulk,
slowly it diversified into sectors like IT, pharmaceuticals, agriculture,
telecom and home security. India is the third largest Asian trade partner of
Israel. Israel has taken a strategic decision to strengthen economic relations
with China, Japan and India. FDI investment of Israel in India during 2000-2013
was $73.7 million. India and Israel space agencies revived contracts and
enhanced cooperation in cyber security. Both countries are likely to seal a
free trade agreement. Israel government is now keen on engaging in the Make in
India initiative. Academic cooperation has also increased considerably and
currently more than 10% of foreign exchange students in Israel are Indians.
Besides, these sectors, the bilateral relations between the
countries are strengthened by military cooperation and defence purchases.
President Rivlin during his visit agreed to intensify cooperation in combatting
terrorism. Both countries have earlier constituted Joint Working Group in counter-terrorism,
signed three agreements in Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters,
Cooperation in Homeland and Public Security and Protection of Classified
Material.
The statement “Love it or hate it but you cann’t ignore”
aptly describes Israel. Jews across the World suffered the worst ever
Holocaust. The hostility endured by Israel is unparalleled. But now tectonic shifts in geopolitical
alignments are shattering old narratives. The historic nuclear deal and
subsequent menacing rise of Iran has changed the dynamics in the Middle East.
Suddenly, there is a strategic recalibration of Israel, anti-Semitism or
anti-Israeli narrative has disappeared. Saudi Arabia is now itching to court
Israel, to take on its bitter rival Iran. Consequently, Palestinian issue has
become a lost cause. Further, with rise of IS and eventual slipping over of the
nemesis to Turkey, Erdogan buried hatchet with Israel and began restoring ties
with Tel Aviv. With the discovery of natural gas reserves and oil fields off
Israeli coast, its Mediterranean neighbors keen on building economic
cooperation. With these propitious developments, Israel now donned the hat of
energy superpower in the region. Countries are now vying to forge ties with
Israel for its military acumen, innovation, technological expertise and finally
as an energy exporter. Also, as Russia eyes to evolve as key players in the
region, it is has become more conciliatory towards Israel. Of late, China has
undertaken $1 billion worth Israel’s Ashdod port construction project under the
Silk Road Economic Belt and extensively developed ties with start-ups and
educational institutes in the Jewish state. Japan is not far behind, Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe, attended the Israel Innovation Forum with Japanese
business in 2015 and got enthused by Israeli innovation and start-up culture.
Even Baltics are fostering links with Israel. Not the least, the US, always had
a trusted military ally in the US. Unfortunately, in India still old
ideologies still hold a sway. Several organization including CPI-M(L) and AISA
signed a petition to condem President Rivlin’s visit to India. Countries are
now aspiring to engage with Israel for various reasons. Israel is no longer a
pariah state as portrayed and envisaged by ideologists. India despite having traditional
and strong links with Jews, overpowered by approach of appeasing Arab World
allowed the bilateral ties to fester by failing to openly endorse the
partnership. It is now 25 years since India established diplomatic links with
the tiny country tucked in a corrupt and bellicose neighborhood. The dillydallying
approach and lack of affirmative stance had its toll on the bilateral links.
Time is ripe for strengthening of Indo-Israeli relations and Prime Minister
must soon embark on a visit to Israel to emphatically assert India’s
engagement.
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