Understanding Extremist Voices Amid Strong India-Israel Ties

In Budgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on March 6, 2026, Kashmiri Shiite Muslim women march during a protest against the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. (Photo by Faisal Khan/NurPhoto via Getty Images).

A concerning trend is emerging in some pockets of India, even as the country strengthens its strategic partnership with Israel. Small but vocal groups within the Shia community have demonstrated fierce allegiance to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, whom they regard as their spiritual guide. In protests, effigies of Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump have been burned, while demonstrators have pledged to produce hundreds of martyrs in his name.

This alarming trend highlights the complexities that India-Israel relations may face even as the two nations deepen their friendship and strategic partnership. Far from marginal, this development concerns a significant population: India is home to one of the world’s largest Shia communities outside Iran, estimated at around 40 million people, concentrated in cities such as Lucknow, Hyderabad, and Srinagar in Kashmir.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Israel and his public show of solidarity was significant and strategic. India’s alignment with Israel is rooted in shared national security concerns, particularly India’s own experience with jihadist threats along its borders and, sometimes, also within its social fabric. While a substantial part of the Indian population supports Israel, in recognizing the dangers posed by militant ideologies and rejecting terror, the rapidly evolving situation following the death of Ali Khamenei cannot be taken lightly.

India is a vast and vibrant democracy of nearly 1.5 billion people — its scale is both a strength and a complexity. For Israel, India’s support carries great weight because of these immense numbers; yet the same demographic reality also amplifies radicalized voices. Their sheer volume allows them to travel far beyond India’s borders, influencing and shaping global narratives in ways that cannot be underestimated.

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