India is getting closer to Israel as old allies pull away
NEW DELHI — India has deepened its relationship with Israel during the Gaza war even as several Western governments have imposed sanctions and trade restrictions linked to Israeli ministers, settlers and settlements, marking a significant change from New Delhi’s historically strong support for Palestine.
The shift did not begin with the war. India established diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992, and ties in defence, intelligence, technology and trade expanded under successive governments. But the relationship has become considerably more public under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has developed close political ties with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
That relationship has remained strong despite the international fallout from Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
India continues to formally support a two-state solution and has called for humanitarian assistance and peace, but it has avoided many of the punitive measures adopted by countries that traditionally maintained much closer relations with Israel.
In September 2025, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich visited India for meetings and signed an investment agreement despite having been barred from entering several countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.
Modi then visited Israel in February 2026, where Netanyahu publicly described the Indian prime minister as a “brother”. The visit came as Netanyahu faced increasing international pressure over Gaza and an International Criminal Court arrest warrant.
Defence remains one of the strongest foundations of the relationship. India has become a major buyer of Israeli military equipment, while reports and rights groups have also scrutinised Indian-linked defence supplies to Israel during the Gaza conflict. The exact origin and end use of components in complex international defence supply chains can, however, be difficult to establish.
Former Indian ambassador Navdeep Suri told Al Jazeera that the closer relationship reflects genuine convergence between the two countries on defence, intelligence and security. He said a relationship that was once largely kept away from public view has become increasingly open under Modi.
India’s position represents a striking departure from its earlier foreign policy. It opposed Israel’s creation in 1948, became the first non-Arab country to recognise the Palestine Liberation Organization and was among the early countries to recognise Palestinian statehood.
New Delhi has not abandoned its official support for Palestine, but the Gaza war has exposed how dramatically its practical relationship with Israel has changed. While some traditional Israeli allies have increased diplomatic and economic pressure on Netanyahu’s government, India has continued expanding a partnership increasingly centred on security, defence, investment and strategic cooperation.
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