New Delhi, India – India’s recent decision to abstain from a vote at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) condemning Israel for its alleged human rights abuses in the Gaza Strip has set off a diplomatic tightrope walk for the country.
On one hand, India has long-standing ties with Israel, which is a major supplier of arms and defense technology. On the other hand, India has a large Muslim population and is also close to the Palestinian Authority, which has condemned Israel for its actions.
In the UNHRC vote, India was one of 17 countries that abstained, while 24 countries voted in favor of the resolution and 14 countries voted against it. The resolution was eventually adopted by a majority of 24-14.
India’s decision to abstain from the vote has been welcomed by Israel, which said that it appreciated India’s “balanced and nuanced” approach. However, the decision has been criticized by the Palestinian Authority, which said that India had “failed to stand up for human rights.”
India’s diplomatic tightrope walk is a reflection of the complex geopolitical situation in the Middle East. India has close ties with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and it is trying to maintain a balance between the two sides.
India’s relations with Israel
India and Israel have close ties in a number of areas, including defense, trade, and technology. Israel is one of India’s largest suppliers of arms and defense technology. The two countries also have a growing trade relationship, with bilateral trade in goods and services exceeding $6 billion in 2021.
PM Modi visited Israel in 2017 after 70 years gap and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also welcomed to India by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018
India’s relations with the Palestinian Authority
India has also close ties with the Palestinian Authority. India has supported the Palestinian cause and has called for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. India has also provided financial and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian Authority.
Publicly, however, India continued to support the Palestinian cause. As recent as 2014, then External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had said “We fully support the Palestinian cause while maintaining good relations with Israel”.
“In 2018, India welcomed the President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas is in charge of the West Bank, which is ruled by Fatah. The Gaza Strip, where the attack on Israel came from, is controlled by Hamas.”
“India’s position on the Israel-Palestine issue has changed over the years. When India gained independence, it didn’t recognize Israel until 1950. There were several reasons for this. First, India had gone through a painful Partition based on religion and didn’t want to support the idea of dividing countries along religious lines again. Additionally, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru explained that India didn’t recognize Israel at first because it wanted to maintain good relations with Arab countries and not hurt their feelings.”
However, India’s relationship with the Arab world is also important. India has strong economic and cultural ties with many Arab countries. India also relies on the Gulf states for its energy needs.
The India-Israel-Arab triangle is a complex one. India will need to continue to tread carefully to maintain its ties with all three sides.
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