FORGING AN EVERLASTING MILITARY PARTNERSHIP: INDIA-ISRAEL BHAI BHAI !

With a legacy spanning across three decades, Indo-Israeli strategic ties are poised to scale new heights, where even the sky is not the limit

- AMARTYA SINHA

India’s relations with Israel lay dormant for about four decades. However, the changes in the international geostrategic environment compelled India to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992. The main events that compelled India to reconsider the decision of establishing diplomatic ties with Israel were–the Gulf War which seriously undermined the unity of the Arab world, end of the Cold War, which had a positive impact on the peaceful solutions of many international problems, for example the Arab-Israeli peace talks, urgent need for better relations with the US, Pakistan’s propaganda against India in the West Asian and North African states in order to establish an Islamic bloc and to internationalise the Kashmir issue, lack of support from the Arab countries during the time of crisis and their support to Pakistan at the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Conference) meetings, and less consideration for the Muslim vote bank in the calculation of the regime in power on the domestic front. Besides this, India was also aware of Israel’s achievements in agricultural technologies as well as better industrial know-how which could create a big scope for cooperation.

The normalisation of relations left both countries to explore as many areas as possible. While Indo-Israel relations increased rapidly in the field of trade and agriculture, both the countries continued to explore as many areas as possible for mutual cooperation. Military is one such area which both the countries are exploring.