Muslims and Jews encounter criticism and hostility: Examination of Minority Discrimination
India and Israel: A Changing Relationship Amidst Controversies
India's historical relationship with Israel was marked by strong support for Palestine and a reluctance to establish formal ties due to its anti-Zionist stance. This post-colonial solidarity was evident in India's opposition to the partition of Palestine in 1947, recognition of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and backing of the 1975 UN resolution equating Zionism with racism [1][3][4].
However, since the early 1990s, and particularly under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government (since 2014), India has shifted towards a close strategic partnership with Israel. Formal diplomatic relations were established in 1992, but it was Modi’s visit to Israel in 2017 that marked a deepening of the relationship. Israel is now a major supplier of defense technology to India, and cooperation includes intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism [1][4].
This growing closeness has blurred India’s earlier distinction between its relations with Israel and its support for Palestine. India's traditional "two-track" approach—strong ties with Israel while backing Palestinian statehood—has begun to merge, causing a dilution of active support for Palestine. India has abstained on some UN resolutions related to Palestine where it traditionally voted in their favor. This change aligns with broader regional developments such as the Abraham Accords and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor initiatives [2][3].
Regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, India officially supports a two-state solution but has moved towards a more pragmatic and security-focused stance in keeping with its interests and ideological affinities. The government under Modi appears to draw parallels between Zionist ethno-nationalism and the Hindutva ideology, suggesting an ideological affinity that influences foreign policy [1][3].
On the question of allegations of anti-Semitism in India, credible search results do not provide explicit details or examples. However, it is important to note that India’s Jewish population is very small and India has traditionally been seen as a country with low levels of anti-Semitism, unlike anti-Muslim or anti-Christian biases which have occasionally been reported. The current India-Israel relationship is more influenced by political and ideological alignment at the state level rather than grassroots anti-Semitism [1][3].
Meanwhile, domestic issues related to religious and communal harmony continue to be a concern. For instance, inter-faith romance is often weaponized as a tool for "love jihad," and prejudice, including anti-Semitism, can often be unconscious [6][7]. Dame Penny Mordaunt and Lord Mann, in a report, claimed that anti-Semitism is prevalent among the middle class in the UK and recommended specific anti-Semitism training [8].
In conclusion, the India-Israel relationship overtly reflects geopolitical and ideological shifts away from India’s earlier global south solidarity towards a pragmatic alliance, whereas support for Palestine remains an official, though increasingly nuanced, stance. Allegations of anti-Semitism in India do not constitute a significant factor in this bilateral relationship according to available data [1][2][3][4].
Additional Facts:
- A 13th-century tombstone has stirred speculation about a colony of Yemenite Jews in Tamil Nadu [5].
- India defied American wrath to sell 10,000 tonnes of rice to Cuba with a ₹10-crore price tag that was quietly waived, a tribute to P.V. Narasimha Rao's diplomatic finesse [9].
- Hermann Kisch, an English Jew who joined the Indian Civil Service, experienced discrimination from Europeans due to his Jewish heritage [10].
- Israel's actions towards Palestinians are compared to Jewish tyranny, and the Holocaust is mentioned as an inappropriate justification for such actions [11].
- Diane Abbot, a British MP, discussed the historical prevalence of anti-Semitism in the context of minority communities serving as a "weather vane of discontent" [12].
- There are various Jewish communities in India, such as the Bene-Israel, Paradesi Jews, Malayalam-speaking Black Jews, and Bnei Menashe from Mizoram [13].
- Orwell argued that the British went to India not for money or power, but because servants and the rituals of drawing and dining room allowed them to pretend to be gentry [14].
- Jeremy Corbyn, former British Labour Party leader, was sacked due to allegations of anti-Semitism, which he claimed were overstated for political reasons [15].
- India's evolving relationship with Israel has expanded beyond war and conflicts, encompassing sectors such as education-and-self-development, politics, general-news, crime-and-justice, sports, and entertainment.
- The growing closeness between India and Israel has led to intense discussions about thespecific role of lifestyle, relations with Palestine, and potential allegations of anti-Semitism in India.
- The smaller Jewish communities in India, including the Bene-Israel, Paradesi Jews, Malayalam-speaking Black Jews, and Bnei Menashe from Mizoram, have faced historical instances of discrimination and still deal with prejudice today.
- The Indian-Israel relationship, rooted in political and ideological alignment, has overshadowed the issue of alleged anti-Semitism in India, as reported in Britain and other contexts.
