Islamabad:The strengthening defense partnership between India and Israel is raising alarms in several Muslim-majority countries, amid growing concerns that the alliance is fueling militarization, regional instability, and state-sponsored oppression — particularly in Kashmir and Palestine.
Over the past decade, India has emerged as the largest buyer of Israeli military equipment. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India imported $37 billion in arms between 2012 and 2022. A significant portion of these arms came from Israel, making India its top defense customer.
Reports in The Times of India reveal that India has purchased nearly $2.9 billion worth of Israeli defense technology in the last ten years. The collaboration spans missile systems, drones, surveillance infrastructure, and cyber warfare tools — much of which is being co-developed under India’s “Make in India” initiative with Israeli firms.
Sources quoted by Deccan Herald, a major Indian daily, claim that these weapons are being actively used by Indian forces in Indian-administered Kashmir, where human rights violations have long drawn international criticism. The same Israeli technologies are also in use by the Israeli military during operations in Gaza, highlighting parallel strategies and tools of occupation.
A recent India Today report underscored a perceived “shared threat” to both India and Israel from Muslim nations, a narrative that analysts fear may justify increased militarization and aggressive posturing.
Observers also point to a growing ideological affinity between Zionism and Hindutva — political ideologies shaping state policy in Israel and India, respectively — both of which have been accused of promoting Islamophobia and suppressing Muslim populations.
Historical ties also reflect strategic depth: According to Observer Research Foundation, Israel covertly supplied arms to India during the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan.
A potential new arms deal between New Delhi and Tel Aviv is currently under discussion, expected to further expand India’s access to Israeli missile systems, drones, and intelligence-sharing networks.
Despite the rising military coordination, global powers and international institutions have largely remained silent on the impact of this alliance on conflict zones. Experts warn that if left unchecked, the Indo-Israeli military partnership could intensify repression in Kashmir and Gaza — and may provoke wider regional confrontations.
