Benjamin Netanyahu calls India strong friend of Israel: Has New Delhi's Middle East Policy changed?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion that India is one of Israel's strongest friends after the US has reignited debate over New Delhi's evolving Middle East policy. Explained here.
EXPLAINERIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's assertion that India is one of Israel's strongest friends after the US has reignited debate over New Delhi's evolving Middle East policy. Explained here. Narendra Modi with Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife. (Image:@narendramodi)Add DNA as a Preferred SourceTRENDING NOWGold, silver prices today, February 8, 2026: Check city-wise rates in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and moreBomb threat to 9 Delhi schools, Bomb squad deployedSourav Ganguly slams PCB's India boycott threat, asks 'backing out of a World Cup for what?'Who is Shivam Mishra? Son of Tabacco barron, owns luxury cars worth Rs 60 crore, crashes Lamborgini in Kanpur's posh areaAfter Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchan, and Salman Khan, Vivek Oberoi's personality rights get protectedUttar Pradesh: Ganga Expressway set to become major economic hub, high-speed rail link, residential zones planned, here's all you need to knowDelhi Coaching Center Flood: 5 Including Owner of Basement Arrested By Police | IAS Coaching TragedyLaughter Chefs 3 fees: Here's how much Krushna Abhishek, Elvish Yadav, Bharti Singh charge per episode, Karan Kundrra, Tejasswi Prakash, Jannat Zubair earnings revealedThe 50: Lion's real identity revealed, he is. . . , fans express their shock and surpriseMassive explosion in biotechnology company at China's Shanxi Province, 8 killed after trapped in Debris; what was the cause?Triple suicide case: Grandfather of Ghaziabad sisters urge government to ban Korean gameDelhi HORROR: Two men, one woman bodies found inside parked car on Peeragarhi flyover; suicide by poisoning suspected; who were the victims?Jeffrey Epstein files: Sex offender allegedly wanted to impregnate women at his ranch, create 'super race' of humansJeffrey Epstein files: New picture show sex offender dining with Elon Musk, Mark ZuckerbergGandiva Missile: Arjuna's Bow Reborn TodayIs India the most trusted ally and friend of the Jewish state of Israel after the US? How far has New Delhi moved to Tel Aviv? After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the US is not the only ally of Israel, and India, with a population of 140 billion, stood behind it, all eyes were set on New Delhi. Though the statement of Bibi, as he is called, may be treated as a reply to Washington, the spotlight has moved to India. The questions that have cropped up are: has India's position on Israel changed? Has New Delhi changed its policy towards Palestine? Does India still stick to its decades-old policy of the two-state solution to the Palestinian question?Benjamin Netanyahu: US-Israel TiesTalking to Fox News, Netanyahu rejected the idea that the US is Israel's only powerful ally and talked about India. He said, "We have some other friends, like a small country called India. It has 1. 4 billion people, and boy, do we have a tremendous support there. " He also claimed that he is "flooded by the overwhelming support" from India on the social media platform Facebook. He was, in fact, responding to US Vice President JD Vance's assertion that Washington is the only powerful ally of Israel. Earlier, talking to reporters in the White House, Vance said, "If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world. " He was defending the US' memorandum signed with Iran last month. Peeved at the assertion, Israel's prime minister said that he respected US vice president and called President Donald Trump the "greatest friend" Israel has ever had in the White House. However, he added, "But it doesn't mean that I agree with everything that he (Vance) says, and I have to point this out. "India-Israel defence cooperationThis has shifted the focus to India. The Israel-India relations have undergone a drastic change since 2014, when the BJP won the election, formed a government on its own, and Narendra Modi became the prime minister of the country. From agriculture to the economy to cultural exchange, the two countries have witnessed considerable improvement. The two countries witnessed substantial growth in defence cooperation during the period 2015-2025, peaking in 2024 when the bilateral trade reached $265 million. The bilateral defence trade stood at $185 million in 2024, one year after the Gaza War began. However, the most significant change is defence cooperation. After the Palestinian militant organisation Hamas attacked Israel on September 7, 2024, killing 1200 people, Tel Aviv responded by attacking the Gaza Strip. More than 70,000 people, mostly innocent civilians, including women and children, were killed. The spotlight shifted towards New Delhi, and it was alleged that, forsaking its policy of supporting Palestine, New Delhi supplied the Jewish state with arms and ammunition. The Adani-Elbit joint venture produced Hermes 900UAVs in its Hyderabad-based plant and exported the same to Israel. It manufactured 20 such drones and sold them to the Israel Defence Force in 2024. The joint ventures between Bharat Forge and Elbit Systems also produced weapons and sub-systems for the IDF. The PLR Systems were manufactured for the Jewish state. According to the Economic Times, NIBE Limited signed a Technology Collaboration Agreement with Israel's Elbit Systems for manufacturing Advanced Universal Rocket Launchers. Named Surya, the rocket system can engage targets ranging more than 300 km away. Media reports suggest that a cargo vessel named Borkum, carrying weapons from Chennai, was intercepted and blocked from docking in Spain in May 2024. It reportedly contained tons of rocket engines and other explosive charges. Benjamin Netanyahu IndiaDefending the arms sales to Israel, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in parliament that India's policy on such exports is guided by its "national interests" and adherence to "various regimes". The Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking to halt arms exports to Israel in September 2024. It also said that such matters are within the government's foreign policy prerogative. PM Modi visited Tel Aviv and addressed its parliament days before the Jewish nation attacked India's trusted and traditional ally, Iran, in February 2026. He also declared that New Delhi has stood by the side of the Jewish state and will continue to do so forever. Giving it a personal touch, he said that India recognised the state of Israel on the day he was born. Amid this, he said in the parliament, "We will also work closely in different formats, such as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor and the I2U2 frameworks between India, Israel, the UAE, and the US. " He went to the extent of declaring that while India is his motherland, Israel is his "fatherland". Benjamin Netanyahu's statement should be seen in this context. Find your daily dose of AllLatest NewsincludingSports News,Entertainment News,Lifestyle News, explainers & more. Stay updated, Stay informed-Follow DNA on WhatsApp.