The article begins with an introduction to the significant milestone that India and Israel recently celebrated—the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties. The special occasion was marked by launching a commemorative logo featuring the Star of David and the Ashoka Chakra, the symbols on the national flags of both countries forming the number 30.
Establishment of Diplomatic Ties
India recognized Israel officially in 1950, but full diplomatic relations were established only on January 29, 1992. As of December 2020, India was one of 164 United Nations (UN) member states having diplomatic ties with Israel.
Economic and Commercial Relations
Trade between India and Israel has grown from USD 200 million in 1992 to USD 4.14 billion (excluding defence) from April 2020 to February 2021, with the balance of trade being in India’s favor. Diamond trading constitutes about half of the bilateral trade. Remarkably, India is Israel’s third-largest trade partner in Asia and seventh globally. Investments from Israeli companies are visible in India’s energy, renewable energy, telecom, real estate, and water technologies sectors—many of these firms are setting up R&D centers or production units in India. Dialogue between the two nations about concluding a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is also underway.
Defence Ties
India is the largest buyer of military equipment from Israel, which happens to be India’s second-largest defence supplier after Russia. The Indian armed forces have inducted various Israeli weapon systems, including Phalcon AWACS, Heron drones, Searcher-II, Harop drones, Barak anti-missile defence systems, and Spyder quick-reaction anti-aircraft missile systems over the years. In the 15th Joint Working Group (JWG 2021) meeting on Bilateral Defence Cooperation, the two countries agreed to form a Task Force to lay down a ten-year comprehensive roadmap to identify new cooperative areas.
Cooperation in Agriculture
In May 2021, the two nations signed a “three-year work program agreement” for agricultural cooperation. This program aims at expanding existing Centres of Excellence, setting up new ones, improving CoE’s value chain, making these centers self-sufficient, and fostering private sector companies’ collaboration.
Science & Technology Collaboration
Experts from both countries are exploring ways to broaden the scope of the India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund (I4F). They have approved three joint R&D projects worth USD 5.5 million and are discussing measures to create a broader India-Israel collaborative ecosystem. I4F is an initiative promoting joint industrial R&D projects between Indian and Israeli companies to tackle challenges in specific focus sectors.
Joining Hands for Renewable Energy
Israel is also aligning with the India-led International Solar Alliance (ISA), which fits perfectly with both nations’ objectives—scaling up cooperation in renewable energy and partnering in clean energy.
Way Forward
Relations between India and Israel have thrived since 1992 due to shared strategic interests and common security threats. With Indians sympathizing towards Israel, the Indian government has been balancing its West Asia policy based on national interest. The two nations must work together to overcome the threats posed by religious extremist neighbors and address global issues such as climate change, water scarcity, overpopulation, and food scarcity. India needs a more aggressive and proactive Middle Eastern policy to benefit maximally from the geopolitical shifts initiated by the Abraham Accords.