Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel – including the first address by an Indian Prime Minister to the Knesset – was a watershed moment in Israeli-Indian relations. Israeli cooperation with India has more public backing than it perhaps ever has. Israelis have some of the strongest pro-Indian views of any country. Israelis are overwhelmingly optimistic about Indian-Israeli relations. Across the political divide between the opposition and coalition, all Zionist parties in Israel are very strong believers in India’s influence. And Israeli-Indian trade relations seem poised to outgrow even their pre-war peak. The same can be said, of course, of Modi, whose trip was filled with well-choreographed moments clearly facing towards a pro-Israel audience at home. And with both countries continuing to deal with major strategic threats, there are major opportunities for collaboration going forward. 

A major focus of Indian-Israeli relations should be rebuilding Israeli-Indian trade in the Post-October 7th world. Advancing towards IMEC – the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor – is a major way to do so. Israel is the natural link in the chain between India and Europe, and the Adani-owned Haifa port has been a center of discussions I had when I worked on a project about US-India-Israel relations for the Tikvah Fund in New York. IMEC would further empower the trade deals discussed. 

IMEC also shows how the relationship between Israel and India should not be between them alone. Israeli-Indian relations can play a role in helping heal the tension in US-India relations, which have increased over the last year. Israel can serve as a mediating partner and opportunity for trilateral economic programs. The previously established I2U2 partnership between Israel, India, the US, and the UAE already helps position the United States as the central linchpin in a web of economic relations – a strong counter to China’s Silk Road project. All of this means that even if IMEC – which requires Saudi approval – is a project for the future, there still much work to be done in the present. This is something both India and Israel understand very well.

While these projects are worked on, special emphasis should be put on growing the relationship between not only the BJP and Israeli politicians, but also the opposition, namely the Congress party. Israel and India need stable, long-term relationships across the board. In Democratic societies, this means collaboration that won’t end with a change of power in New Delhi or Jerusalem. Both parliaments already have parliamentary friendship groups – these should be leveraged into consistent visits by MP’s and MK’s to one another’s country.

Both India and Israel see their growing alliance as chances for strategic diversification and mutual benefit in a chaotic world. For both countries, they also boost confidence they have a place in the new age as unique, ancient civilizations with powerful, modern states. These flourishing relations are good not only for themselves, but their allies and partners across the world, chief amongst them the United States.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)