Strategic Assessment

Although India was freed from the chains of colonialism in August 1947, independence did not provide it with the suitable surrounding and conditions for defining its role in the international arena. Rather, economic growth and the ambition to become one of the world’s strongest economies have led India to adopt a realpolitik approach in its foreign relations. This essay will address India’s attitude towards the Palestinian and Israeli question as a test case. After establishing itself as an independent nation, India allied itself with the Palestinians, and this affiliation became an integral part of the fabric of India-Israel relations. India’s establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992 did not change New Delhi’s traditional position concerning the Palestinian issue. However, the media and academic circles have been quick to label Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi as Israel’s new friend. This essay tracks the changes in the Indian attitude to the Palestinian issue since Modi took office in May 2014 in light of the changes in India’s foreign relations.