Interestingly, in the wake of the outbreak of a full-blown war between Israel and Hamas, India stood alone in the Global South in not voting in favor of a ceasefire at the United Nations General Assembly
However, in the following months as the devastating humanitarian crisis unfolded in Gaza, India officially tried to strike a balance by sending aid to the people of Gaza, raising concerns about civilian deaths and expressing support for ending hostilities and resolving the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy
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Despite this, many analysts see India’s responses to the Gaza crisis as deeply problematic and largely supportive of Israel
Two months into the war in December 2023 India voted in favor of a ceasefire resolution at the United Nations and reaffirmed its traditional call for a “two-state solution” to resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict
On November 13, 2023 India abstained from a U.N. resolution that dealt with “investigating Israeli practices and operations for human rights violations” in the Israel-occupied Palestinian territories
Again, in April 2024 India abstained on a U.N. Human Rights Council resolution that called on Israel to implement an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and called on the member states to impose an arms embargo on the state of Israel
The resolution had called on Israel to be held accountable for possible war crimes and crimes against humanity, in Gaza
The precedent for this allegedly pro-Israel posturing on the part of India was set in June 2019 when India voted in support of Israel at the U.N.’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to deny observer status to a Palestinian human rights organization, named Shahed
This vote at the U.N. body was seen as a “first” step away from the long-standing two-state theory, under which New Delhi sees both Israel and Palestine as separate and independent countries
India has joined an overwhelming number of U.N. members in support of a UNGA draft resolution to admit the state of Palestine as a full-fledged member of the world body and recommended the Security Council to “reconsider” the matter “favorably”
However on September 19, 2024 India abstained on a U.N. resolution that called on Israel to end the illegal occupation of Palestine within a year
India more favorably tilted toward Israel
India, it seems, has adopted a more nuanced position on the war and seeks space to maneuver when it comes to the Israel-Palestine conflict However many in diplomatic and strategic circles largely see,
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India’s position on the Gaza crisis as more favorably titled toward Israel and thus shifting (albeit gradually) away from India’s traditional stand on the issue
India-Israel relationship “a marriage made in heaven”
Soon after assuming power, the Modi government “de-hyphenated” the Israel-Palestine policy This was a very bold move that paved the way for a stronger relationship with Israel under his leadership.
Modi, in 2017 became the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel, where his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, famously said,
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that the India-Israel relationship was “a marriage made in heaven”
Since then the relationship has been further strengthened in the areas of technology, agriculture, education, cinema, defense etc. India is today the largest foreign buyer of Israeli weapons and military products, accounting for 37 percent of Israel’s total arms exports
