Growing Indo-Israeli Nexus

Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema

Reports emanating from various sources clearly confirm the advent of a carefully contrived Indo-Israeli nexus. Not only the ties in the defence sector are strengthening but also the Israeli intelligence agencies are training the Indians how to counter the activities of the freedom fighters in the troubled state of Kashmir.

While it is not all that surprising to know that Indo-Israeli cooperation in various fields is taking concrete shape, what appears to be somewhat incomprehensible is why so much time has lapsed in forging closer ties? This is particularly significant when one realizes the existing commonalities between the Jews and the Brahmins. Both propagate the purity and superiority of race, share somewhat bitter historical legacies, suffer from delusions of greatness, demonstrate almost regularly animosity against the Muslims, and assertively stress that the past subjugations and deprivation will 'Never Again' be allowed to manifest.

Changes in international climate coupled with emerging realities might have influenced the two countries to upgrade the existing level of interaction. Among the ground realities that could have been taken into considerations include the post cold war international scenario in which the US is viewed as the sole superpower, the disintegration of the India's ally Soviet Union, the elevation of market forces to substantively influence the regulation of relations among nations, the changing nature of the conflicts along with the intensification freedom struggle in their countries, the elevation of religious parties and accompanying hardliners to the corridors of power, and the emergence integrative and disintegrative trends could have made substantive contributions in bringing the two states closer.

Perhaps the most important factor delaying the emergence of Indo-Israeli nexus is India's attempt to opt for a secular and socialist society. Nehru's Congress tried hard to follow an idealist socialistic creed with minimum influence from orthodox forces. For quite sometimes India was able to practice secular ideals. While Nehru has been subjected to biting criticism from many quarters in India, he was indeed a realist if one views his policies in light of India's diversity in terms of races, creeds, religions and tribalism. To pursue unity in diversity was, in many ways, a pragmatic panacea.

Equally significant factor could be the continuous evaluation of the cost-benefit analysis of most Indian governments regarding ties with the Arab world. A closer alliance with Israeli at the cost of Arabs friends was indeed viewed as unwise. Besides, many of the Arab states with their socialist rulers appeared as better states to identify with. It is also possible that regular criticism of those states whose birth was credited to considerable contributions from religious factors impeded the regularly drummed notions of secular ideals.

The advent of BJP in India and ascent of Sharon enable both countries to come closer towards each other with an accelerated pace. While the Indians were interested to gain access to Israeli military technology and its advanced intelligence techniques, the Israeli seem to be influenced more by the economic factors along with other considerations. Another factor that could have helped in cementing the relationships is that both are good friends of the US.

As far as India is concerned the cooperation with Israel has pronouncedly manifested in three areas; the defence sector, the intelligence services, and training how to counter intifada and freedom movements. While India had established full diplomatic relation with Israel in 1992, the warming of relations only surfaced during the BJP regime. Both Advani and Jaswant have made trips to Israel to discuss cooperation in defence, intelligence, and counter insurgency.

India has signed a major agreement with Israeli with a view to acquire three Phalcon airborne warning and control systems (AWACS), radar system, surface-to-surface missiles and up-gradation of aircrafts. Earlier Washington had persuaded Israel not to sell AWACS to China. Besides the agreement calls for increased cooperation between India's aircraft firm Hindustan Aeronautics and its Israeli counterpart Israel Aircraft Industry. It can be safely assumed that Israel must have secured the green light from the Americans before signing the agreement with the Indians.

The second area in which both countries have been cooperating with each other is intelligence. The intelligence failure prior to and during the Kargil clashes influenced the Indian authorities to seek help from the Israeli intelligence services. Israeli teams consisting of senior Intelligence officers have been frequently visiting India in order to train and familiarize the Indian intelligence community with advanced and relatively more successful techniques. Many RAW's agents have already acquired the benefits of growing closer ties between the intelligence communities of the two countries. Not only Israel's successful intelligence missions enabled and in some sense emboldened the Israeli forces to initiate target-killing campaign.

Finally the third area in which the Indo-Israeli collaboration is specially focusing is the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Not only the Israeli intelligence community has been assisting the Indian authorities in this region in terms of procuring essential information but the Israeli are now training and helping the Indians how to contain the freedom movement of the Kashmiris. The focal point of Advani's visit to Israel was to seek the assistance of the Israelis in order to effectively cope with the Mujahideen operations. During his Israeli trip, Advani specifically toured the electronic fence area along the Israeli borders with Lebanon, saw functioning of new security system at the Ben Gurion airport, and watched a demonstration of a pilot less drone used for border surveillance. Several independent sources have openly highlighted the presence of many Israeli intelligence teams in Kashmir that are now providing training to Indian forces in counter insurgence measures.

It might seem surprising to some that in the past India had taken firm stand against the Zionism and racism but lately it had shifted from its traditional stance though some independent quarters still represent the old school's thinking. The Zionists have not only been spreading fear and discard through sophisticated propaganda but have also been actively pursuing strategies that entail corrupting and controlling the ruling elite. In addition, efforts are directed to some form of stranglehold over the target states' economies. A target state is often portrayed as a great danger to world peace and unworthy of trust with a view to secure the desired modifications in the objectives and behaviour of the target state. The techniques employed in their propaganda barrage include lies, distortion, deception etc.

The growing Indo-Israeli nexus is not only dangerous for Pakistan and the Muslim world but it would also provide to the Israeli the much desired access and partnership with the main Indian Ocean power. The emerging changes do not augur well for the stability of whole region. Beside the Indo-Israeli nexus could assume strategically dangerous dimension in the global power games. While one is policing the region of oil wealth, the other is engaged in efforts to contain the anticipated emerging power. But both seem to be serving the interest of a third party.