Daily Times

Back when Israel came into being in 1948, then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was hesitant about recognizing the country. In contrast to this, today the relationship between the two countries is like a marriage made in heaven.

Praiseworthy eco-political syncretism has surfaced between Tel Aviv and Delhi, after Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent visit to India to kick start their innovation and technological ties to promote mutual interest for good relations. These relations are predominantly the outcome of converging interests: both Israel and India are combating enemies confederated with radical Islam, both have grievances against Muslim neighbours, and both are emerging democracies that carved their independence a few months apart from the same British colonial rule. Furthermore, a symbiotic union has developed — India’s free markets and multifarious needs are irresistible to Israeli enterprises keen to set up their franchises abroad. India now endues Israel to dispense many of the technologies it needs to cater to its vast population.

Relations between the two countries weren’t always so smooth. Even though India was never an anti-Semitic society, it took the country years to get over its aversion to Israel. Diplomatic ties between India and Israel were acknowledged narrowly two decades ago but that decision has paid up for Delhi. Trade between India and Israel approximates to $4.3 billion annually, excluding defence procurements, which merely surged 117 percent, from $276 million in 2015 to $599 million in 2016, and more importantly, Israel has given India many gifts in the areas of technology, agriculture, and medicine. New Delhi’s tech relationship with Tel Aviv hasn’t gone unobserved and perhaps surprisingly, one country that has observed it and may imitate the relationship in the future is Pakistan.

The Jewish community around the world can help Pakistan to elevate its image as an emerging friendly nation

In the past few decades, Israel has stepped forward to establish relations with countries across Asia in a series of revolutionary diplomatic initiatives. As Asia has emerged economically, Israel has established business ties with almost every state in the region. The statistics already show that Israel’s eastwards exports could soon start competing with those of the United States.

At present, Israel has a robust relationship with both India and China. As China has begun to loosen state control over some areas of the economy, Israeli companies have paved their way to grab some good opportunities there. Despite China’s deregulation, the government still has its fingers dipped in infrastructure, heavy industry, and agriculture. Thus, Beijing is now realizing how China can get maximum benefit from Israeli technology and has embraced business from Israel with zeal. Beijing is now on board with a vast range of projects in various different fields.

On the other hand, India has a long history of democracy. Their agriculturists and business people have always been at liberty to engage in business with Israel at their leisure. Over the years however, disinclination has been evident in India to acknowledge Israel as a state. This could be because of India’s strong bond with Arab countries. Not too long ago, the Arab world made sure that it didn’t trade with anyone who also traded with Israeli enterprises. The fact that India has extensive territory and an occasionally restive Muslim minority also tempered the will to advance relations with the Jewish state.

India, although, has also begun to adopt Israeli technology in the fields from diamonds to information technology to defence system to agriculture, despite diplomatic correspondence with Jerusalem are usually still a bit rigid. Indian deputations are now prominent in nearly every international high-tech display held in Israel.

International tech exhibitions have provided a good chance to Israeli and Indian tech executives to convene at the Israel-India Technology Forum, to explore new technologies that would be suitable for the Indian consumer and market. Among the attendees are the officials of some of India’s biggest enterprises, such as Infosys, a giant consulting company with yearly revenues of almost $7 billion.

Many Indian executives have shown keen interest in Israeli technologies in the fields of Information and technology, more specifically such as Information security, internet, cloud computing,  cellular telephone applications and computerized solutions for organizations as well as enhancing cooperation with Israeli companies.

These ventures could be beneficial and have a multifarious function, which can easily apply to a host of fields, including technologies, agriculture, water and medical technologies, environmental technologies, and so on. It’s that recognition — the cognizance that Israel’s technology can help India’s almost one billion people live better lives — that has helped Indian business people and high government officials leave behind their former reluctance to incorporate business deals with Israel.

The cost versus benefit analysis that made India conquer its historic Israel-aversion is now being embraced, at least to some extent, by Pakistan. In recent months, countless articles and statements by Pakistani pundit and scholars — and even political figures — have depicted a courageous attempt by appearing on mainstream Pakistani talk shows to voice support for Islamabad to follow New Delhi’s example.

Pakistanis endorsing better relation, put forward their stance that Israel can help the country, not only with computer science, agriculture, electronics, medicine, solar energy and more, but more importantly, with its international relations. “The Jewish community all around the world can help Pakistan to elevate its image as an emerging friendly nation,” said an advocate of opening ties with Israel.

Certainly, part of the motivation seems to come from the desire to surpass our hostile neighbour, or at least a desire to imitate India’s economic advancement and join the league of advanced nations. “It’s time to confront it,” says the founder of a Pakistan’s policy think tank. “We need a Pakistan with a secure and better future in the coming world and moreover need to have strong bonds internationally. No doubt, India is grabbing it all, whether it’s Israel, Russia, United States and even our good friend China. It’s time for us to broaden our horizon and be vigilant for what is in the best interest of Pakistan.”

The writer is a student at IIUI. He can be reached at mohsin_2050@live.com

Published in Daily Times, February 2^nd 2018.