Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has delved into the history of the relationship between India and Israel, which has improved exponentially since 2014 when he got here to energy, as he addressed the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem.
During the speech on Wednesday, the primary day of his two-day visit to Israel, Modi additionally urged nearer cooperation on numerous tasks, together with the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and the I2U2.
We unpack what the IMEC and I2U2 are and why Modi’s tackle is critical.
What did Modi say throughout his Knesset tackle?
Modi was greeted with a standing ovation within the Knesset. Parliamentarians chanted his identify because the Indian prime minister replied with a namaste by becoming a member of his palms.
The Indian prime minister opened his speech by saying the “world was shattered by the barbaric terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7”, referring to the 2023 Hamas-led assaults on villages and military outposts in southern Israel that triggered Israel’s genocidal conflict on Gaza, which has killed greater than 70,000 Palestinians.
“We feel your pain. We share your grief,” Modi mentioned, including that India stands by Israel “with full conviction”. Modi mentioned India and Israel are “trusted partners” and this “contributes to global stability and prosperity”.
After this, the Indian chief gave a historical past of Jewish folks in India and of the connection between India and Israel.
“We are committed to expanding trade, strengthening investment flows and promoting joint infrastructural development.”
Modi added that an funding treaty signed between India and Israel final yr will present confidence and predictability for companies in each India and Israel.
“We will also work closely in different formats, such as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor and the I2U2 frameworks between India, Israel, UAE and the US,” he added.
What is the IMEC?
The IMEC challenge was introduced on September 9, 2023, throughout a Group of 20 summit in New Delhi. It is a proposed infrastructure challenge that may join India, the Middle East and Europe with an built-in rail and delivery hall, in keeping with the challenge’s web site.
The hall would move by India, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel and Europe and would come with a community of railways, ports and highways to facilitate logistics and the free circulate of commerce alongside its route.
According to the challenge’s web site, the IMEC goals to foster financial cooperation and inexperienced growth by sustainable infrastructure tasks.
What is the I2U2?
The I2U2 group was established by India, Israel, the UAE and United States at a digital summit on July 14, 2022.
Some analysts have known as the I2U2 “the West Asian Quad” or “the Middle Eastern Quad” in reference to the Quad, or the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, a casual discussion board comprising the US, Japan, Australia and India.
According to the US Department of State, the I2U2 devises tasks and initiatives to handle world challenges within the areas of water, power, transportation, area, well being, meals safety and expertise.
It added that the challenge goals to modernise infrastructure, advance low-carbon growth pathways and enhance public well being.
The group’s initiatives embody a meals safety challenge in India, a hybrid renewable power challenge in India’s Gujarat state and a challenge to handle environmental and local weather change challenges utilizing space-based remark knowledge and capabilities.
Why is Modi’s speech to the Knesset important?
Modi made his go to to Israel as ties strengthen between Israel and India and in opposition to a backdrop of complicated and rising geopolitical tensions in and across the Middle East.
Strengthening ties
Relations between India and Israel have massively improved through the years. While nonetheless underneath British rule within the Twenties and Nineteen Thirties, India strongly recognized with the Palestinian battle for independence.
India initially opposed Israel’s creation and United Nations membership earlier than recognising the state in 1950. Full diplomatic relations had been delayed till 1992, after which India-Israel financial ties expanded progressively over the subsequent 20 years.
Since Modi grew to become prime minister, there was a further shift within the relationship between the 2 nations. Nine years in the past, Modi grew to become the primary Indian prime minister ever to go to Israel.
India is presently Israel’s second largest trading partner in Asia after China. According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, commerce jumped from $200m in 1992 to $6.5bn in 2024.
“Modi is underscoring IMEC and I2U2 as part of a broader push to deepen economic and strategic cooperation with Israel and key Middle Eastern partners, positioning India at the centre of emerging trade and technology corridors amid shifting regional geopolitics,” mentioned Sanam Vakil, the director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme on the London-based Chatham House assume tank.
Collaborative tasks just like the IMEC and I2U2 are central parts of the increasing partnership between India and Israel. Additionally, they join India and Israel to Middle Eastern nations.
“For Gulf states like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, IMEC and I2U2 offer a chance to cement their roles as pivotal connectivity and logistics hubs linking Asia, the Middle East and Europe while accelerating economic diversification beyond oil,” Vakil advised Al Jazeera.
“However, lingering UAE-Saudi policy competition and Israel’s stance on Palestine inevitably complicate the political cohesion needed to fully deliver projects like IMEC.”
Regional tensions
Modi’s go to to Israel additionally comes amid worsening regional tensions.
It follows India’s resolution to hitch greater than 100 states in condemning Israel’s de facto expansion in the occupied West Bank, a transfer New Delhi delayed by a day, suggesting hesitation on account of its shut ties with Israel.
This week, Netanyahu mentioned he plans to type a brand new regional bloc of nations that he called a “hexagon” alliance to face in opposition to “radical” Sunni and Shia Muslim “axes”.
On Sunday, Netanyahu mentioned this alliance would come with Israel, India, Greece and Cyprus together with different unnamed Arab, African and Asian states. None of those governments, together with India, has formally endorsed this plan, nonetheless.
At the identical time, US-Iran tensions are escalating. Washington is build up navy belongings close to Iran whereas US President Donald Trump threatens restricted strikes over Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes. Tehran has mentioned it prefers diplomacy however will defend itself if attacked.
Israel will probably be a front-line participant in any escalation which may comply with from US strikes or Iranian retaliation, analysts mentioned.
