When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Israel July, it was a truly historic visit. It was the first time an Indian Prime Minister had visited the Jewish state. On his three day tour of the country, he was accompanied by Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu throughout. It included a visit to the country’s Holocaust Museum Yad Vashem, a rally for the country’s Indian Jews and a relaxed stroll along the beach by both PMs. Modi was impressed by the welcome, saying: “Israel is a real friend. I have really felt that feeling of kinship. I feel absolutely at home here.” The visit officially marked the 25th anniversary of full diplomatic relations, but also symbolised in a very public way the intense friendship and cooperation between India and Israel.
In the last article of my series, I’d like to talk about two great nations, India and Israel, and the relationship between them. On the surface, they seem very different. India with its population of over a billion is a demographic giant, compared with Israel’s 8.5 million. Geographically India has over 150 times the land mass of Israel.
But there are remarkable similarities. As Netanyahu said on welcoming Modi: "We love India. We admire your culture, we admire your history, your democracy, your commitment to progress. We view you as kindred spirits in our common quest to provide a better future for our peoples and for our world."
Both India and Israel had to fight for their independence and freedom against the same British colonial power. Their independence days are less than a year apart (in the case of India, 15 August 1947 and Israel, 14 May 1948). They went through a difficult process of partition with refugees and displacement of population.
Seventy years on, each country has achieved a massive amount. They are vibrant, strong democracies that champion rule of law. India is the world’s largest democracy and Israel is the biggest democracy in the Middle East. They have open economies ready to be on the global marketplace that embrace free trade and welcome talent. They are particularly strong in science and technology.
For one, Israel has been called the "start-up" nation. Israel has the most non-U.S. companies listed on Nasdaq after Canada and China. Over 250 multinationals have research and development centres in Israel, 80 of them Fortune 500 companies. Israel's high levels of innovation have led to technological and medical breakthroughs. Its pharmaceutical sector is particularly strong so that one in seven prescriptions on the NHS come from Israeli medicines.
Both India and Israel are also united in having to deal with the scourge of terrorism. They seek peace with their neighbours and a more harmonious world, but are forced to defend themselves against aggression. Israel has made peace deals with Egypt and Jordan, but a peace deal with the Palestinians remains elusive (despite a number of overtures, including withdrawal from the Gaza strip in 2005).
The relationship between India and Israel has taken a while to warm up. While India officially recognised the State of Israel in 1950, in this period, Indian governments tended to prioritise good relations with Arab states. A big step-changed occurred in 1992 when the two countries established full diplomatic relations. Since then, the relationship has blossomed, particularly in the spheres of technology and defence cooperation. Israel is thought to be the second-largest defence supplier to India after Russia. Such is the technological know-how of the two peoples that it's said that Hindi and Hebrew are the two most common languages in Silicon Valley.
The cooperation between the two governments is matched by the mood on the street. An international poll carried out in 2009 showed 58% of Indians expressed sympathy with Israel, more than the equivalent figure for Americans (56%), seen as Israel's primary ally. The 100,000 Israelis of India descent are a human bridge between the countries, whilst many Israelis end up spending a "gap year" in India after their military service.
The political, economic and people connections are strong, and the India-Israel relationship looks set to continue to develop and grow. As a British Jew, I have a special connection with Israel, the only Jewish state. But as someone also with Indian Jewish heritage, I also feel a particular kinship and affection for India, the homeland of my mother's family.
It's been a privilege to write this fortnightly column for the last three months. It's been a reflection of the goodwill I feel towards the vibrant, remarkable Indian community in Britain. Britain would be a lesser place without your many contributions. I believe that Jews and Indians have much in common, and hope that the friendship between our two communities goes from strength to strength. In fact, we have a charity dedicated to promoting and growing this friendship, the Indian Jewish Association. Long may it play a role in cementing the friendship between our two peoples.
Zaki Cooper is on the Advisory Council of the Indian Jewish Association.
