India received its independence in
1947, and Israel a few months later, in 1948. Official diplomatic
relations between the two countries had to wait until January 1992.
During the 44 years that elapsed between the emergence of these two
independent countries until the establishment of full diplomatic
relations, India demonstrated reservation, unfriendliness and even
hostility towards Israel. Israel, for its part, invested many efforts in
order to bring about a change in India’s hostile policy, but to no
avail.
Towards the end of the 1980s and
beginning of the 1990s, the world underwent profound changes and the
international environment changed most drastically. First of all, the
collapse of the Soviet Union, India’s ally and biggest supplier of
military equipment, was a serious blow to India. Secondly, the Gulf War
of 1991 exposed deep divisions in the Arab world and reduced its clout
in Indian foreign policy. Thirdly, for reasons of national prestige,
India wanted to get involved, like so many other countries, in the
so-called “peace process” of those days in the Middle East. And – no
less important – Narasimha Rao was elected Prime Minister. He changed
the “socialist” economic policy of his predecessors and needed US
support.
All of these reasons, and others,
made it opportune for Israel to try to develop a new political dialogue
with India. Such a dialogue began at the end of June 1991. It was a slow
process. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs tried to procrastinate
on the contacts. But, on January 29, 1992, Prime Minister Rao decided to
overrule the objections within the government and the Congress party and
to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel that same day.
Since
then, bilateral relations between the two countries have developed very
rapidly in various spheres of activity, especially in agriculture,
scientific cooperation, hi-tech, communications, trade, defense matters
and various other fields. Many agreements, in all those areas, were
signed. Practical relations between Israel and India continue to expand
in a most friendly atmosphere.
