India Israel Relations (Thread)
Entire chronology of events
India Israel relations can be classified in three timeframes
1948 – 1992: India’s hostility for Israel
1992 – 2014: India’s neutrality
2014 -2024: India Israel Friendship
While Israel always remained Pro India
1/25
India Israel’s relationship goes back to 5000 years old Indus Valley civilization era and both remained trade partners for thousands of years
It is known that there were expensive garments in the Temple in Jerusalem imported from India via Alexandria
But we will start from 1947
Gandhi believed Jews had prior claim for Israel but opposed the creation of Israel on religious terms
13 June 1947
Albert Einstein wrote a letter to Jawaharlal Nehru on, to persuade India to support the setting up of a Jewish state.
Nehru didn't accept Einstein's request
14 May 1948
Israel was created. India voted against the Partitioning of Palestine. India was the only Non Muslim country of World that supported Palestine
1949
India voted against Israel's admission to the United Nations.
Veer Savarkar supported the creation of Israel on both moral and political grounds, and condemned and deplored India's vote at the UN against Israel
RSS leader Golwalkar admired Jewish nationalism and believed Palestine was the natural territory of the Jewish people
1950
India officially recognized the State of Israel
1953
Israel was permitted to open a consulate in Bombay but India didn’t open in Israel
1962
India China War
India always supported Arab countries against Israel but during India China war no Arab country supported India
Israel offered ammunition to India but Nehru didn’t want to offend Muslims so he said send weapons but without Israeli flag but Israel PM replied – No flag no weapons
Finally India received weapons from Israel with Israel flag
1965
When Pakistan attacked India in 1965
No Arab country helped India, Israel supplied M-58 160-mm mortar ammunition to India that time
1971
India Pakistan War. Israel even went against its ally America and helped India. Israel supplied M-58 160-mm mortar ammunition to India in the war against Pakistan
70s
Pakistan was developing nuclear bomb. Israel offered a joint operation of Mossad and RAW to destroy Pak’s nuclear facility but India rejected
1975
UN resolution to equating Zionism with racism.
India supported this resolution at UN
1985
Israel bombarded Palestinian camps in Lebanon
Rajiv Gandhi deputed external affairs Minister Baliram Bhagat to take part in the debate at UNSC where India condemned bombardment in strong terms
Nehru, Indira, Rajiv Gandhi always remained anti Israel and Pro Palestine.
India’s relation with Israel started to change when Nehru family lost the power
1990
Janata govt took first tentative steps towards diplomatic recognition to Israel. The consulate in Bombay was upgraded, and the consul general was permitted to visit Delhi to meet officials
1992
After decades of non-aligned and pro-Arab policy, India formally established relations with Israel when it opened an embassy in Tel Aviv when PVNR became PM
1996
India purchased 32 UAVs, Electronic Support Measure sensors and an Air Combat simulator system from Israel
1997
Ezer Weizman became first Israeli President to visit India
1998
India conducted nuclear test at Pokhran. Israel again supported India
1999
Kargil War
Israel again helped India by quickly providing necessary laser-guided missiles despite pressures from US n other countries
2000
L.K Advani became first Indian minister to visit Israel. Later that year, Jaswant Singh became first Indian Foreign Minister to visit Israel.
2003
Ariel Sharon was the first Israeli Prime Minister to visit India. Sharon's visit was condemned by leftist and Muslims of India
2004-14
During UPA era, Israel and India’s defense ties further strengthened but India kept opposing Israel at UN
2006
Then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi visited Israel. Indian govt ministers Sharad Pawar, Kapil Sibal, and Kamal Nath visited Israel and Palestine
2012
Foreign Minister SM Krishna made a two-day visit to Israel
2014
Golden era of India Israel friendship started from 2014. After victory of Narendra Modi in 2014 general election Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu personally congratulated Modi
Modi in turn met Benjamin Netanyahu in New York City on the sideline of the UN General Assembly during his US visit
On the occasion of the Hanukkah festival, Indian PM Modi greeted his Israeli counterpart in Hebrew on Twitter while the Israeli PM replied in Hindi.
2014
Indian HM Rajnath Singh visited Israel. He also met PM Netanyahu, breaking from convention, Singh was first Indian minister to visit Israel without also visiting Palestine on same trip
2015
Pranab Mukherjee became first president of India to visit Israel.
Mukherjee was given the rare honor of addressing the Knesset
2016
Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj visited Israel. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin visited India for a week-long state visit
2017
The biggest moment in India Israel relationship came in 2017
Narendra Modi became first ever Indian PM to visit Israel. Imp is Modi did not visit Palestine during the trip, breaking from convention. Both countries signed lot of MoUs
2018
With 130-member delegation, Benjamin Netanyahu visited India. Both countries signed 9 MoUs
20/25
2019
India's air strike on Pakistan. Israel made bombs were used. Israel offered unconditional support to India
Later in same year when India evoked article 370, Israel again supported India
2021
EAM S. Jaishankar, made his first visit to Israel since taking office
2023
After 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, Israel's ambassador to India, Naor Gilon, highlighted the overwhelming support for Israel from Indians.
He stated, "If you look at the Israeli Embassy's social media, it's amazing. I could have another IDF with Indian volunteers"
Modi and BJP took strong pro Israel stand after Hamas attack
2024
India supported on many occasions to Israel at UN by abstaining from voting against Israel.
Today Israel is India’s second biggest Arms supplier after Russia
Indians made up the largest share of
foreign students in Israel
India Imports from Israel is US$1.71 Billion
India Exports to Israel is US$6.05 Billion
Israel is a classic case, How a country just for its 15% Muslim votes kept hostile relation with a country for 60 years which supported India at every moment
24/25
Israel supported India in
1962 War
1965 War
1971 War
1998 nuclear bomb test
1999 War
2016 Surgical strike
2019 Air strike
2019 Article 370 revoke
While India remained hostile to Israel till 1992, neutral till 2014 and real friend since 2014
25/25
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