Israel’s Ambassador to India, Naor Gilon, has lauded the robust relationship between India and Israel, emphasizing the strength of their ties across all fronts. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Gilon highlighted the landmark visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel in 2017 and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to India in 2018 as “game changers” for bilateral relations.
Ambassador Gilon emphasized the unique “secret ingredient” in India-Israel relations: the strong people-to-people connections. He noted the popularity of India among Israelis, particularly young adults who often visit India for extended periods after completing their military service.
Naor Gilon also spoke about Jews living in India for 2,500 years. Speaking about Jews living in India, Gilon said, “Jews lived here for 2,500 years. Now, I saw a stone that was found here, a graveyard stone of 800 years ago something like that. In India, Jews lived here. They were Indians, they are Indian Jains and Indian Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and Jews. It is part of being an Indian. It is part of that you have your religion, enjoy that as much as you want. So, in general, I think there is something very interesting. Famous Jews along the years like General Jacob and like the Sassoon family for example in Mumbai that is. Until to date some of their charities worked, schools, hospitals, libraries are still there and foundation is still there.”
Gilon pointed out the strategic partnership between the two nations, mentioning Israel’s assistance to India in defense matters since the 1960s. He also acknowledged the support of Indian leaders, particularly PM Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, towards Israel, noting that their pro-Israel stance aligns with public sentiment in India.
Highlighting India’s growing global importance, Gilon said, “India is a growing power, super power maybe… India is coveted by many countries today.” He emphasized India’s significance in terms of population, economy, and geostrategic position.
He said, ”Prime Minister Modi was the first Prime Indian Minister to visit Israel in 2017 and a few months later 2018, Netanyahu visited here. So, I think that was a game changer for our relations.
The ambassador’s comments come against the backdrop of India’s balanced approach to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
Notably, PM Modi was one of the first world leaders to condemn Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7. However, India has also called for a complete ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. India has also put its weight behind the ‘two-state solution’ to the long-running Israel-Palestine conflict.
(Inputs from ANI)