India–Israel Strategic Partnership: From Diplomatic Engagement to Security, Defence and Technological Cooperation

Abstract Since the full diplomatic relations were achieved in 1992, India-Israel relations have undergone a significant transformation, with defence and security being major areas of cooperation, the relationship now having a much greater political and strategic visibility during the Narendra Modi government. The first-ever visit of an Indian Prime Minister to Israel (in 2017) was significant as it helped bring the relationship into the open and provide it with a much-felt strategic direction. Now, India and Israel have broadened the scope of defence cooperation beyond the sale of conventional arms. The border relationship has slowly extended to the areas of defence production, joint research and development, the cyber economy, AI, drones, space technology, innovation and agricultural and water management. Cooperation in counter-terrorism has also continued to be an important field, especially due to the concern regarding terrorism, radicalization and national security in both countries. This paper discusses the evolution and increasing significance of India-Israel strategic partnership especially in the field of defence, technology, counter-terrorism and India's strategic autonomy. The study states that, instead of beginning security cooperation between India and Israel, the Modi government merely provided it with more political significance and institutional momentum. The partnership has also evolved from mere purchases to increasing defence industry cooperation, joint development, technology sharing. At the same time India's relationship with Palestine, it's wider interest in West Asia and it's commitment to strategic autonomy continue to influence the nature of and limits of this partnership. The paper concludes that India-Israel relations is at best a pragmatic and technology driven strategic partnership and not a formal alliance.