“India’s relations with Israel have, of late, acquired a depth and diversity, which cannot be rolled back.” Discuss.
Approach · directive: “discuss”
What it asks · Explain how India–Israel ties have deepened across defence, agriculture, technology and diplomacy, and judge how far they are irreversible given India's West Asia interests.
It asks 2 things — answer each
- Discuss the depth and diversity of India–Israel relations: defence, agriculture, innovation, trade and diplomacy
- Assess whether the relationship cannot be rolled back: drivers of permanence against the constraints, with a verdict
Open with · India recognised Israel on 17 September 1950 but established full diplomatic relations only in 1992; Prime Minister Modi's July 2017 visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister, upgraded ties to a strategic partnership.
Cover
- Defence and security: Israel supplies drones, missiles and radars, moving to joint development; counter-terror cooperation adds trust.
- Agriculture and water: 31 Indo-Israeli Centres of Excellence in 13 States demonstrate drip irrigation and horticulture.
- Innovation and trade: I4F (US$20 million from each side, 2018–22); trade grew from about US$200 million in 1992, mostly diamonds.
- Diplomacy: de-hyphenation of Israel and Palestine, with continued backing for a two-state solution.
- Constraints: Gulf energy and diaspora, Iran, Palestine (UNGA Jerusalem vote, December 2017) demand balance.
- Verdict: reversal improbable as stakes are institutional and multi-sectoral; pace and profile track West Asian events.
Close with · Since then, the first I2U2 summit (July 2022) with Israel, the UAE and the US shows India can bind Israel and the Gulf together, not choose between them.
Add value (verified)
- India recognised Israel on 17 September 1950; full diplomatic relations and embassies followed in 1992.India-Israel Bilateral Brief - Ministry of External Affairs (Embassy of India, Tel Aviv) ↗“India announced its recognition of Israel on September 17, 1950.”
- Prime Minister Modi's visit of 4–6 July 2017, the first by an Indian Prime Minister, upgraded the relationship to a strategic partnership.India-Israel Bilateral Brief - Ministry of External Affairs (Embassy of India, Tel Aviv) ↗“The Prime Minister undertook a historic first-ever visit to Israel by an Indian Prime Minister on July 4-6, 2017, during which the relationship was upgraded to a strategic partnership.”
- 31 Agriculture Centres of Excellence have been set up in 13 Indian States under the Indo-Israeli agricultural work plans.India-Israel Bilateral Brief - Ministry of External Affairs (Embassy of India, Tel Aviv) ↗“31 Agriculture Centers of Excellence have been established in 13 Indian states.”
- The India-Israel Industrial R&D and Innovation Fund (I4F) has US$20 million from each side over five years (2018–2022); trade grew from about US$200 million in 1992, mainly diamonds.India-Israel Bilateral Brief - Ministry of External Affairs (Embassy of India, Tel Aviv) ↗“This MoU, with a contribution of US$ 20 million from each side over five years (2018-2022), enables Indian and Israeli enterprises to undertake joint industrial R&D pr”
- On 14 July 2022 the Prime Minister joined the first I2U2 leaders' summit with the leaders of Israel, the UAE and the US.India-Israel Bilateral Brief - Ministry of External Affairs (Embassy of India, Tel Aviv) ↗“On July 14, 2022, the Prime Minister participated (virtually) in the first leaders’ summit of I2U2”
Question: UPSC's CS (Main) 2018, GS Paper II — paper ↗. Approach: Minimalist IAS, checked 3 Oct 2026 (how we verify) — UPSC publishes no model answers. ·
Model answer· 225words · Minimalist IAS
India recognised Israel on 17 September 1950 but established full diplomatic relations only in 1992. Narendra Modi's July 2017 visit, the first by an Indian Prime Minister, upgraded ties to a strategic partnership.
- 1950: India recognises Israel
- 1992: Full diplomatic relations
- 2017: Strategic partnership
- 2018: Netanyahu visits India
Depth and diversity
- Defence and security: Israel supplies drones, missiles and radars, moving to joint development; counter-terror ties add trust.
- Agriculture and water: 31 Indo-Israeli Centres of Excellence in 13 States demonstrate drip irrigation and horticulture.
- Innovation: the I4F fund, US$20 million from each side over 2018–22, backs joint industrial R&D.
- Trade: from about US$200 million in 1992, mostly diamonds, trade has since diversified.
- Diplomacy: India has de-hyphenated Israel from Palestine, engaging Israel openly while backing a two-state solution.
Can the ties be rolled back?
- Drivers of permanence: converging interests in security, technology and farming, backed by governments of every hue since 1992.
- Constraints: Gulf energy and diaspora interests, ties with Iran, and support for Palestine (India backed the UNGA resolution against the US Jerusalem decision, December 2017) demand balance.
- Verdict: reversal is improbable as the stakes are institutional and multi-sectoral; only pace and profile track West Asian events.
Since then, the first I2U2 summit (July 2022) with Israel, the UAE and the US shows India can bind Israel and the Gulf together, not choose between them.
Prepared by Minimalist IAS to the answer standard of Shivam Singh (mentor, 7 years) · facts checked against official sources (how we verify) · updated 3 Oct 2026. UPSC publishes no model answers: compare your structure and coverage with this, then write your own.
