06

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been quick and unambiguous with his condemnation of the terror on southern Israel by Palestinian Hamas which runs the blockaded Gaza strip. He has extended his expression of solidarity with Israel.

Indian foreign policy has made no secret of its distancing from war, proxy or otherwise. For Indian initiative towards peace and development worldwide has been lauded far and wide. 

The Prime Minister ‘s response is in keeping with it. The Hamas attack and its aftermath will make it harder for Delhi to pursue its growing strategic ambitions in the Middle East. 

The recently unleashed plan for an India-Middle East-Europe corridor together with India’s growing security partnership in the region come under the shadow of renewed regional violence. The Indian establishment does not cover itself with glory having been caught napping. 

The Prime Minister describing the Hamas action as “terrorist attacks” and conveying “solidarity with Israel” dashes any charge of a double-dealing stand. New Delhi has never condoned Hamas’ action. 

There ought to be no room for cavil at the Prime Minister’s words. India’s ties with Palestine are older than its proximity to Israel cannot be a reason for its support to a terrorist act.

India has suffered terrorist attacks and has taken time to shake off its after effects. But the scars of unprovoked strikes on civilians and similar targets are still fresh in the public memory. 

Thus, India is absolutely within its rights to condemn the Hamas strike. Its ties with Palestine and Israel must be looked upon from a different perspective. 

India ‘s position regarding Palestine was also guided by the consensus in the Arab world, Non-Aligned Movement, and the United Nations. However, things changed in the ‘60s and ‘70s following the Indo-Chinese conflict in 1962 with the Arab countries processing neutrality, supporting Pakistan in 1965 and 1971 wars.

Disintegration of the Soviet Union in the early ‘90s brought in drastic changes in Indian foreign policy towards West Asia. Full diplomatic relations between Israel and India were established in January, 1992. 

When Palestinian Prime Minister Yasser Arafat was on an official visit to India the same year, he was told during his meeting with Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao that India establishing diplomatic relations with Israel would be helpful for the Palestinian cause. 

India could exert its influence on Israel only if it had an ambassador in Tel Aviv. Arafat came on board. Ties with Israel strengthened during the Kargil conflict when it supplied precision target bombs to India digging into its stockpile. 

Bilateral visits followed with foreign minister, Jaswant Singh and later home minister, L K Advani visiting Israel. When Prime Minister Modi visited Israel in 2017, the first prime ministerial visit, he skipped a visit to Palestine, a customary stop which was a norm with previous ministerial visits. 

But New Delhi made sure that the Prime Minister visited Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar, UAE-all regional rivals to Israel -between 2014 and 2017, before the trip to Israel. When Modi visited Palestine in 2018, he did not visit Israel putting a balm on any sore thumb if any. 

The Indian strategic position is to engage with all sides in the complex West Asia region. It is born out of necessity.

More than 50% of India’s energy imports are sourced from West Asia. The region is marked with the presence of a huge Indian origin populace together with its connectivity to India. 

There is no denying the fact that the horrific Hamas attack has put India into a diplomatic tight spot. After all, India was looking forward to reaping the benefit of the newfound peace in the region. 

The attacks have shredded the hope of a “New Middle East” connected and at peace. The attack is a reminder of the intractable nature of conflicts in the region and the difficulties in overcoming them. 

The Hamas attack has not only pushed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu into declaring war. It has undermined the peace constituency in Israel. 

The attack has also made it harder for Prince Muhammad of Saudi Arabia seen to be supping with Prime Minister Netanyahu. Destroying possibilities of normal ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia may be the immediate motivation.

Delhi must use the space it has. It is upto India to find a way out given its historical engagement with Palestine and strong ties with every Middle East player, from Iran to Saudi Arabia.