The Iran-Israel Conflict and India
The Iran-Israel Conflict and India
The latest escalation in the conflict between Iran and Israel has forced India to reconsider its
strategic calculus. Its decisive refusal to endorse the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s (SCO)
condemnation of Israel’s attack on Iran is driven by strategic autonomy. India enjoys friendly relations
with both Israel and Iran which has been a test for India’s deft diplomacy. (Kathju, 2025; Krishnan,
2025)
India and Israel’s civilisational ties date back to over two hundred millennia and have had
positive bilateral relations since India’s informal recognition of Israel in 1950. Since 1992, both
countries have enjoyed full diplomatic relations. India and Israel are strategic partners with India being
Israel’s biggest client for defence equipment. Israel is also India’s largest supplier of defence
equipments after Russia. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has caused significant delays in India’s military
modernisation; hence, Israel has become India’s most promising partner in terms of defence supplies.
(Rao, 2025; Welcome to Embassy of India, Tel Aviv, Israel, 2024)