With Indian PM Modi’s visit to Ramallah, are warmer India-Palestine Relations bothering Israel? Are India-Israel Relations getting impacted by sprouting India-Palestine Relations and India’s intimacy with Iran, an arch-rival of Israel? Recently, Indian PM Modi became the 1st Indian PM ever to have visited Palestine, signalling developing India-Palestine Relations.
India-Palestine Relations: India Signs 6 MOU’s with Palestine
In a landmark agreement, India and Palestine signed six Memorandums of Understanding (MoU’s) worth USD 50 million. “The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas thanked India for the ongoing projects which included building a 100 bedded speciality hospital in Palestine. India will also finance and construct women’s empowerment centre where women from various parts of Palestine visit for skill development”
India-Palestine Relations have been further strengthened by India’s commitment to renovate schools in Palestine, besides supplying machinery to the national printing press of Palestine.”
Read about India-Israel Relations at EurAsian Times: Are Indian, Israeli Right Wing Governments Anti-Islam?
“During the term of this Government, Indian President made the first ever visit to Palestine in 2015. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited India in May 2017, followed by the historic visit by Indian PM Modi to Palestine in 2018. India-Palestine Relations under the Modi government has seen a tremendous enthusiasm.
India wants to work with all the three parties – Israel, Palestine and Iran
Indian PM assured President Abbas that India stood by Palestine and that India was ready to support the country’s just cause. Acknowledging Indian goodwill and brave initiative by Indian PM, Modi was conferred with the “Grand Collar of the State of Palestine”. The Grand Collar is the highest order given to foreign dignitaries like Kings or Heads of State/Government.
While travelling to Ramallah in Palestine, Indian PM Modi was escorted by Israeli and Jordanian choppers. India’s policy appears clear, that India wants to work and engage with Israel, Palestine and Iran (a staunch ally of Palestine)
India-Israel Relations So Far
India-Israel relations are now seeing a positive shift ever since the current Indian PM began taking initiatives to build the closeness. The recent visit of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu was another move that confirmed the growing closeness between the two nations. India-Israel relations had last seen visits only once in 2003 by then PM Ariel Sharon.
Read about India-Israel Relations at EurAsian Times: India Israel Relations Beckon New Horizons
Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit along with his wife Sara began at the New Delhi airport with a warm welcome from Indian PM Narendra Modi. During the trip, he went on to sign nine treaties with India with the aim of boosting bilateral ties and trade. He even visited the Chabad House in Mumbai along with 11-year-old Moshe Holtzberg whose parents Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg were killed along with six others during the 2008 attack in Mumbai.
India-Israel Relations To Develop in Three Areas
More India-Israel News: India-Israel Sign MoU For Cooperation In Space Exploration
Speaking on the building ties, Modi had said that the nation is working with Israel to make it possible and easier at the same time for the citizens of both nations to travel to and fro. He further added that an Indian Cultural Centre is also expected to soon open up in Israel. The two nations will also organize bilateral visits of over 100 individuals from the field of science. India and Israel have reportedly also reinstated the recently cancelled USD 500 million deal for Spike anti-tank missiles from Israel.
During his farewell speech, Netanyahu had spoken of Modi as a revolutionary leader and had said that his visit to India was truly ‘historic’. The year 2017 also marked 25 years of cooperation between the two nations.
India – Marrying Israel; Refusing to Divorce Palestine and Iran.
While Indian PM Narendra Modi is leaving no stone unturned in making India the friendliest nation in the world, an Israeli daily has raised questions over whether the India-Israel relations would continue for long owing to the relations India has with Iran and Palestine. PM Narendra Modi, according to the Haaretz, is trying for a marriage with Israel while refusing to divorce Palestine and Iran.
Read the Complete Article at EurAsian Times: India-Israel Relations In Doubt Over India’s Allegiance With Palestine, Iran
