India’s Shift in Palestine Policy

Hindutva and Foreign Policy
• India’s policy on Palestine has evolved due to the rise of Hindutva, influenced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Sangh Parivar.
• This shift has led to a growing affinity with Israel, seen as a natural partner against perceived threats of an ‘Islamic terror’.
• Historically, India’s support for Palestine was rooted in its anti-colonial struggle, self-determination, and anti-racism.
• In ‘New India’, the Palestinian cause is linked exclusively with the Muslim identity.
Values or ‘Interests’
• India’s shift from values-based to transactional diplomacy has resulted in a more transactional approach.
• India-Israel relations have flourished recently, with bilateral trade reaching over $10 billion in 2022-23.
• The renewed engagement is defined by ‘dehyphenation’ and ‘depoliticisation’, enhancing cooperation by circumventing politically sensitive questions.
Global Trends
• Globally, foreign policies are increasingly guided by constructed economic and strategic interests.
• India’s approach to Palestine reflects this trend, with the Palestinian issue relegated to the margins.
Ambitions and the Great Game
• India’s aspiration to emerge as a great power has played a crucial role in abdicating its support for Palestine.
• The legacy ideals of non-alignment and anticolonialism are seen as baggage in these times of great power politics.
• India’s response to Israel’s war on Gaza has been limited to non-state statements calling for peace and dialogue.
• The shift towards strengthening ties with Israel and prioritising economic and strategic interests over normative commitments has contributed to the marginalisation of the Palestinian cause.