Israel’s deepening ties with India are often hailed as a diplomatic success, but recent developments expose serious risks. The revelation that Indian-manufactured Spike anti-tank missiles—originally licensed by Israel—may have reached Hezbollah through Russia is a wake-up call. Given India’s strong military ties with Russia and Iran, Israel must reconsider the wisdom of this partnership.
India’s Defense Ties with Russia and Iran: A Dangerous Link
India has relied on Russian military support for decades, and this relationship remains intact. Russia, in turn, is a key arms supplier to Iran, making India an indirect link in a chain that benefits Israel’s adversaries. If Israeli-licensed weapons end up in the hands of Hezbollah, this is not just a security breach—it’s a fundamental betrayal of trust.
Israel has long exercised caution when exporting military technology to unreliable partners. India’s defense dealings with adversaries of Israel should place it in the same category of concern.
Technology Theft: A Direct Threat to Israeli Innovation
India has a history of absorbing foreign technology to develop its own industries, often disregarding intellectual property rights. Israeli companies must ask:
- Will Indian firms respect patents and trade secrets?
- Once India has acquired enough technological expertise, will it push Israeli companies out of markets they helped create?
Past experience suggests that India, like China, will prioritize its own interests, using foreign knowledge to develop domestic alternatives—eventually eliminating the need for Israeli partners.
The Economic Argument: Does It Hold Up?
Many argue that Israel stands to gain economically from India’s massive market, but this assumption is flawed.
1. Agriculture and Food Security
India, one of the world's most food-insecure nations, may benefit from Israeli agricultural technology, but this won’t translate into sustained exports for Israel. India will adopt the technology, localize it, and reduce reliance on Israeli expertise.
2. Manufacturing and Tech
Using India for low-cost production increases the risk of intellectual property leaks and weakens Israel’s control over its own industries. India's economic model prioritizes self-reliance, meaning any short-term profit from manufacturing partnerships could lead to long-term loss of market share.
3. Consumer Markets
Israeli products thrive in high-end, technology-driven markets like Europe and North America. In contrast, India’s market is price-sensitive, making it unrealistic to expect significant demand for premium Israeli goods.
India’s Consistently Anti-Israel Stance on the Global Stage
Despite growing trade and defense ties, India’s voting record at the United Nations remains largely anti-Israel. It prioritizes its relationships with Arab states, Iran, and the developing world over its ties with Israel. This underscores a critical reality: India may do business with Israel, but it will not stand by Israel when it matters most.
A genuine alliance is based on trust, shared interests, and long-term reliability. The India-Israel relationship falls short on all three counts:
- Trust? Indian weapons have allegedly ended up in Hezbollah’s hands.
- Shared interests? India maintains close ties with Russia and Iran, two of Israel’s adversaries.
- Reliability? India has a history of absorbing foreign technology and sidelining its original partners.
Israel must exercise extreme caution before deepening engagement with India. The risks—military, technological, and economic—are too significant to ignore.
