With Israel and broader Middle East, a diplomacy less defensive, more realist, Pg10

Key Highlights:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Israel on February 25-26, marking a significant development in bilateral relations.
• The visit occurs amidst a transformation in the geopolitics of the Middle East, potentially leading to consequential talks between PM Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
• India's relationship with Israel has evolved from a taboo to a strategic dimension since the Modi government took office in 2014.
• Israel is facing global criticism for its regional policies, but this is not significantly impacting Delhi's calculus, as Israel has greater regional maneuverability.

Detailed Insights:

• India's engagement with Israel was initially restricted due to ideological reasons and concerns about the Palestinian cause, but Atal Bihari Vajpayee initiated a political channel in 1977.
• Congress governments maintained a discreet relationship with Israel, but Modi's 2017 visit signaled a major shift towards strategic collaboration, particularly in security, defense, and advanced technologies.
• Netanyahu has proposed a new "hexagonal" alliance to counter regional radicalism, viewing India as a key player in stabilizing the Middle East, which India sees as a framework for raising its regional profile.
• The weakening of Iran has led some regional states, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar, to explore a coalition to constrain Israel, with Pakistan also being drawn into this dynamic.
• India's growing interests in the Middle East, including energy, expat labor, connectivity, and counter-terrorism, necessitate a more pragmatic approach, allowing Delhi to pursue parallel tracks, such as supporting Palestinian statehood while engaging Israel.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Geopolitics: The study of the influence of geography on politics and international relations.
• Strategic Collaboration: Cooperative efforts between nations to achieve shared security, defense, or technological goals.
• Regional Radicalism: Political movements or ideologies that seek fundamental changes in the existing regional order through extreme means.