2500 years young brotherhood

 

Masada Fortress, Judean Desert, Israel

Last month was a very special month for 1.38 billion Indians and 0.009 billion Israelis. 

Or in other words, 9 Million Israelis. January 29, 1992 marks the day the Republic of India and the State of Israel formally established diplomatic relations. Now, just so you understand. 

How important this day is, according to a poll conducted years ago 58% of Indians expressed sympathy with Israel regarding the Israeli Palestinian conflict. The vast majority of Indians love and support Israel and the vast majority of Israelis love and support India. Today, 30 years later we have an alliance like no other countries. It's not about interests or benefits it's about true love pure friendship between the Indian people and the Israeli. 

Barak 8 MR-SAM Defense System

The two countries have an extensive cooperation in economy, military, medicine, agriculture, education and much more. India has become the largest buyer of Israeli military equipment and Israel has played an important role in India's fight against terrorism, especially in Kashmir and against other radical Islamists. Israel has been a crucial player in India's fight against terrorism with sharing intelligence with the Indian military, we even developed a defense missile together called Barack 8
and in the Israeli surface to air missile that helps defend both Israeli and Indian troops from enemies. 

1st consignment by India to Israel

During the COVID pandemic, when Israel needed medicine and medical equipment, even though India closed all of its borders and skies to other countries, Prime Minister Modi did allow medical supplies to be sent to Israel to help save lives. 

O2 Conc. given by Israel to India

And when India needed oxygen, Israel was there to assist and send oxygen concentrators to hospitals in India to help save lives of Indians. Both India and Israel have worked together on rapid tests
and other solutions to coronavirus. They are helping even today to save lives. 

Now many people ask why Jews and Hindus are such good allies. And the answer to that is that both Jews and Hindus have been persecuted by radicals. Only because of whom they are. 

Hindus mainly by Radical Islamists and Jews by Anti-Semitics. But both Jews and Hindus understand each other and feel safe at home in their homeland. Hindus in India and Jews in Israel. 

But even more Jews were never persecuted in India and we're always welcomed and were thriving community in India with ancient synagogues

Magen David Synagogue (Kolkata, India) completed on 1884

that stand tall till this day. Jews are treated with respect by the many Indian communities and religions. 

But the truth is, let's tell the truth, the alliance between Jews and Indians is older than 30 years, is older, much older than 30 years. It has existed for thousands of years, dating back to the Indo Mediterranean trade relations in the second Millennium BC. 

Trade route between Israel and Bharat

It is even known that there were expensive garments in the temple in Jerusalem, imported from India via Alexandria. 

Jodhpur Lancers marching through
Haifa after it was captured

It goes back to World War One in 1918 when Indian Cavalry Brigade in the service of the British Army
helped from the Ottoman Empire, German and Austrian enemies. The brave Indian troops sacrificed their lives to save Jewish people. 

In our alliance goes through the Kargil War in 1999 when Israel supported India by providing arms and ammunitions despite the pressure from other countries to not sell arms to India. 

 In 2003, Ariel Sharon was the first Israeli Prime Minister to visit India and in 2017 Narendra Modi became the first ever Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel last year. 

Indian EAM meeting IAF contingent at 
Israel's Ovda Air Base

The Indian Air Force sent 5 fighter jets to participate in the Blue Flag exercise hosted by the Israeli. Therefore, if I have to mention all of our accomplishments and achievements, I would have to sit here and talk for hours. But the core of this alliance, this friendship runs in our blood. 

We train together to be stronger together, we support each other. We have each other’s back because we know that there is a bright future for our alliance 

Indians love Israelis. I feel like Israelis are my family .And if we manage to achieve so much in only three decades, imagine what we can accomplish? Together in the years to come, I'm so excited to see our alliance grows stronger and closer as strong. 

A strong India is a strong Israel. And a strong Israel is indeed a strong India 

 also checkout my previous blog on Colonial Mindset