Is India becoming a junior partner in US Israel strategy in current geopolitics?
The Indian government has not issued any forthright statement condemning the aggression against Iran jointly carried out by the United States and Israel. This is despite the fact that Iran has been a time-tested friend of India with deep civilizational commonalities. One may or may not agree with the political system of a particular country, but no one can condone foreign aggression that threatens the sovereignty and territorial integrity of any nation. In recent times, we have witnessed a growing disregard for internationally accepted norms that call for respect among nations, big or small. The unprovoked aggression against Iran by the United States and Israel must be condemned outright. The Indian government’s merely expressing concern is not acceptable.
This is a very serious situation with long-term regional and global implications. The aggression occurred at a time when diplomatic efforts were underway between the United States and Iran. Representative of the government of Oman had even announced that the two sides were nearing an agreement. However, the very next day, Israel and the United States launched attacks on Iran. On the very first day, Israeli forces reportedly killed more than 150 children in a school. Israel has often been accused of carrying out extremely brutal and inhumane acts. This became particularly evident during the war in Gaza, where more than 70,000 people were reported killed, including over 20,000 children.
It has now become clear that the United States was never serious about peace negotiations. has openly called for regime change and has urged the people of Iran to use this opportunity to overthrow the present establishment. Israel, on the other hand, is advancing claims of a “Greater Israel” and seeking to expand its influence in the Middle East. Iran has vowed to retaliate for the killing of its Supreme Leader. In response, it has launched missile attacks on Israel and on United States land and naval bases in the region, reportedly causing serious damage in several locations.
There has been a global outcry against this aggression, which many have described as illegal, unprovoked, and unwarranted. The claim by the United States that Iran poses a threat to America, and similar statements by the Israeli Prime Minister about an existential threat to Israel from Iran, do not appear convincing to many people across the world. Russia and China have strongly condemned the attack. The UNO has taken up the matter and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
India could have played a significant role in restoring peace in the region. However, the recent visit of our Prime Minister to Israel has unfortunately led to a loss of trust in our country according to many observers. At one time, India was regarded as a true champion of peace in the world. Since the aggression occurred only a day after Prime Minister returned from Israel, it raises questions about whether he might have been aware of the plans for aggression. He is the only Prime Minister of India to have visited Israel, and that too twice, in 2017 and again in 2026. Visiting Israel with prior knowledge of any such plan would amount to a betrayal of humanity. On the other hand, if he was unaware of it, then it reflects a serious failure on the part of the Indian state that advised him to visit Israel during a period of heightened tensions in the Middle East.
The manner in which the Prime Minister publicly embraced Netanyahu appeared to signal a strong personal and political commitment to him. In his speech, he did not utter a single word about the killing of more than 70,000 people, including over 20,000 children, in Gaza. He also did not refer to the two-state solution to the conflict. Instead, efforts were made to pursue a larger trade agreement, including defence deals. It has also been reported that he sought surveillance software similar to Pegasus, without fully considering that such technology could potentially provide strategic leverage to foreign agencies over our country. Additionally, India reportedly agreed to send 50,000 workers to Israel, which could displace Palestinian workers who are already employed there.
The Foreign Minister of Iran reached out to several countries for support, but not to India. In the process, we appear to have lost a time-tested friend in Iran while gaining little in return. It increasingly seems that India is being seen as a junior partner in the United States–Israel strategy in current geopolitics—an unfortunate reflection on our foreign policy.