International Relations

IAS Parliament 7 years

KEY POINTS

Issue

· A resolution was passed in the UN General Assembly with the support of 128 nations opposing the USA’s recent stand on the status of Jerusalem.

· India too supported the resolution despite its domestic political compulsions and its growing closeness with Israel and US.

How India justified its action?

· It is the reiteration of India’s traditional policy on the Israel-Palestine dispute.

· Hence, India’s vote against the U.S. which is altering the status quo is a timely reassurance that India abides by its principled long-standing position of two states.

· This is also bound to resonate well with the members of Gulf Cooperation Council with which India has a crucial business ties.

· However, India’s vote would have been disappointed Israel and the U.S.

· But, Indo-Israeli ties won’t take a considerable beating, considering that India has largely de-hyphenated the Palestine question from its dealings with Israel.

· Notably, India imports almost a third of Israel’s defence produce and Israel would find it difficult to overlook India’s criticality for its economy.

· Similarly, the U.S. also had a huge interest in India’s markets.

· There is also the China factor. To contain China, U.S necessarily requires India.

· Moreover, this move will supplement India in attaining its goal to transform from being a ‘balancing power’ to a ‘leading power’ on the international stage.

· Because, leading power ambitions are not realised by declaring unquestioning allegiance to anyone.

· It can also be interpreted as an India’s continuing adherence to its traditional policy of Non-alignment.

· Through this, India joins the company of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa), groupings that India continues to value.

· India can be of great friends with the U.S. and Israel and still disagree with them on some issues.