The strategic partnership between Israel and India is one of the most significant geopolitical developments of the past decade – and its implications stretch far beyond the two countries.
First, consider the scale: India, the world’s most populous nation with nearly 1.5 billion people, views Israel – a country of just under 10 million – as a central strategic ally. That fact alone is remarkable.
For India, which faces an ongoing military conflict with Pakistan and constant tensions with China, Israel is a critical supplier of advanced defense systems and military technologies. Israel has sold to and jointly developed with India cutting-edge air defense systems such as the Barak-8, advanced anti-tank missiles like the Spike, and other high-level capabilities that are not always publicly detailed. Defense cooperation has become one of the pillars of the relationship.
Economically, the ties are just as meaningful. Through the Adani Group, India holds a 70% commercial stake in the Port of Haifa. This investment already helps reduce India’s reliance on exporting goods via the Suez Canal, where transit fees can range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars per vessel.