Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Israel marks another chapter in a relationship that has quietly transformed over the past three decades. What was once a cautious and largely low-profile engagement has evolved into one of India’s most significant strategic partnerships in West Asia.

The visit is not merely a diplomatic ceremony. It reflects a deeper recalibration of India’s foreign policy, one that balances historical sensitivities with present-day strategic realities.

A relationship that began late but grew fast

India formally established full diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992. For decades after Israel’s creation in 1948, India maintained distance, largely due to its support for the Palestinian cause and domestic political considerations.

Yet, even during periods of limited formal engagement, quiet cooperation existed.

During the 1962 war with China and the 1971 war with Pakistan, Israel provided critical military supplies to India. In the 1999 Kargil conflict, Israel reportedly supplied surveillance drones, laser-guided ammunition, and artillery support systems at short notice. These moments of assistance built trust during times of crisis.

The relationship may have matured publicly only in recent years, but its strategic roots are older.

Defense: The core of the partnership

Today, defense remains the backbone of India-Israel ties.

Israel is among India’s top defense suppliers, particularly in areas such as missile systems, surveillance technology, electronic warfare, and border security. Systems like the Barak missile defense system and advanced UAVs have strengthened India’s military capabilities.

The partnership is not limited to buyer-seller dynamics. Increasingly, both countries are collaborating on joint development and technology transfer, aligning with India’s push for domestic defense manufacturing.

For India, Israel offers cutting-edge innovation in a compact and agile framework. For Israel, India represents a stable and expanding strategic partner in Asia.

Technology, agriculture, and water cooperation

Beyond defense, cooperation has expanded into agriculture, water management, cybersecurity, and innovation.

Israel’s expertise in drip irrigation and water recycling has influenced Indian agricultural projects, particularly in arid regions. Centers of Excellence across Indian states demonstrate practical agricultural collaboration.

In water management, Israel’s desalination and recycling technologies are especially relevant for India’s urban and drought-prone regions.

The growing startup collaboration between the two nations also reflects shared strengths in innovation-driven growth.

Balancing Israel and the Arab world

One of the most significant aspects of India’s West Asia policy is balance.

India has maintained strong relations with Israel while simultaneously deepening partnerships with Arab nations such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Energy security, diaspora interests, and trade linkages make the Gulf region strategically vital for India.

Modi’s visit signals that India no longer sees its ties with Israel and Arab countries as mutually exclusive. Instead, it reflects a pragmatic foreign policy approach based on national interest rather than ideological alignment.

India continues to support a two-state solution in the Israel-Palestine conflict, maintaining its long-standing position while strengthening bilateral ties with Israel.

This calibrated diplomacy reflects India’s broader strategy of multi-alignment in a multipolar world.

Geopolitical context: West Asia in transition

West Asia is undergoing profound shifts. The Abraham Accords, changing US engagement in the region, rising Iran-Saudi diplomacy, and shifting energy geopolitics have altered the regional balance.

India’s engagement with Israel fits into this broader transformation.

The emerging India-Israel-UAE-US grouping, sometimes referred to as I2U2, signals a new framework of economic and technological collaboration. It suggests that India’s West Asia policy is moving beyond traditional political symbolism toward economic and strategic partnerships.

In this context, Modi’s visit underscores India’s ambition to play a larger role in shaping regional connectivity and innovation networks.

Historical sensitivities and domestic dimensions

India’s ties with Israel have historically been politically sensitive due to domestic and international factors. However, the normalisation of relations over the past decade reflects a shift in public discourse.

Today, India’s engagement with Israel is framed less as ideological departure and more as strategic diversification.

Foreign policy in the 21st century is increasingly driven by technological cooperation, security needs, and economic integration rather than Cold War-era alignments.

The road ahead

For India-Israel relations to move beyond defense-heavy engagement, deeper cooperation in research, climate resilience, AI, and clean energy will be essential.

Israel’s innovation ecosystem and India’s scale offer complementary strengths. Structured long-term collaboration can transform the partnership from transactional to transformational.

At the same time, India must continue balancing its West Asia relationships carefully, ensuring that closer ties with Israel do not destabilize its broader regional interests.

Conclusion

Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Israel symbolises more than diplomatic warmth. It reflects the steady evolution of India’s foreign policy pragmatic, interest-driven, and increasingly confident.

The India-Israel relationship is no longer confined to quiet crisis support or limited exchanges. It has matured into a multidimensional partnership spanning defense, agriculture, technology, and geopolitics.

History provided the foundation. Strategic necessity accelerated the partnership. The future will depend on whether both nations can expand cooperation while navigating the complex realities of West Asia.

In a rapidly changing global order, relationships built on trust during difficult times often prove the most durable.

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