Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement condemning Hamas and offering support for Israel amidst the recent crisis illustrates that ties between the two nations have changed dramatically in the last two decades.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on the Israel-Hamas crisis that unfolded over the weekend was unequivocal. Modi tweeted on X, “deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour.” Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar retweeted the statement. The statement and its speed were striking. Until as recently as 1992, India had no diplomatic relationship with Israel. Furthermore, India is not a country known to be quick to choose sides in a crisis.
Modi’s statement shows how far the India-Israel relationship has come. For many years after India’s independence from the United Kingdom in 1947, Israel was extremely enthusiastic about establishing a close relationship with India. However, for more than four decades, India refused to respond to Israel’s overtures. Jawaharlal Nehru and other Indian anti-colonial leaders, scarred by their experience of Partition and the creation of Pakistan—the first country to be founded on the basis of religious nationalism—were fundamentally opposed to the idea of a state created based on Zionism. Moreover, they were highly sympathetic to the Palestinian cause and saw the plight of the Palestinians as a direct consequence of British imperialism. As a result, while India recognized the establishment of Israel in 1950, it refused to start a formal diplomatic relationship. In the ensuing years, India’s condemnation of Israel continued even though Israel extended India (limited) military support in its wars with Pakistan and China, while the Arab states gave extensive, regular political and military support to Pakistan.
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