“India’s relations with Israel have, of late, acquired a depth and diversity, which cannot be rolled back.” Discuss.

Full diplomatic relations, established only in 1992, have matured into a strategic partnership since the first Indian prime ministerial visit to Israel in 2017 and the conscious 'de-hyphenation' of ties with Israel from the Palestine question.

Depth and diversity of the relationship

• Defence and security: India is among the largest buyers of Israeli defence equipment — co-developed Barak-8 missiles, UAVs and radars — backed by close counter-terrorism and intelligence cooperation.
• Agriculture and water: around 30 Indo-Israel Centres of Excellence spread drip irrigation and horticulture technology across Indian states.
• Innovation and commerce: the India-Israel Industrial R&D Fund (I4F), bilateral trade of roughly USD 10 billion, and Adani's operation of Haifa Port since 2023.
• Plurilateral layer: the I2U2 grouping (India-Israel-UAE-US) and the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor embed the bilateral tie in wider regional architecture.

Why it is hard to roll back

• The drivers are structural, not sentimental — technology needs, defence supply chains and convergence on terrorism outlast changes of government in either country.
• Yet India retains its balance: it supports a two-state solution, votes independently at the UN, and has sent humanitarian aid to Palestinians even while security cooperation with Israel continues.

The relationship is now interest-driven and institutionalised rather than ideological — which is precisely why its depth and diversity endure.