3 min readFeb 28, 2026 06:17 AM IST First published on: Feb 28, 2026 at 06:17 AM ISTIt is unsurprising that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel this week has revived arguments about India’s foreign-policy values. Since Independence, India’s policy towards Israel and the wider Middle East has been held to a moral standard rarely applied to other bilateral relationships. The expectation that Delhi must express unequivocal outrage at Israeli actions in Gaza — while remaining largely silent on comparable behaviour by other states — reflects this. The debate is further distorted by domestic politics. Congress is often accused of posturing on the Middle East to woo the minority vote, while the BJP’s enthusiasm for Israel is seen as an extension of its Hindutva agenda. But India cannot allow internal politics to overwhelm its national interests in a region central to its peace and prosperity.Undeniably, the PM’s visit marks a shift toward greater pragmatism in India’s Middle East policy. Arriving at a moment of regional transition, Modi used his address to the Knesset to underscore India’s shared interests with Israel in countering terrorism and extremism, and to signal an unambiguous commitment to elevate the partnership to a higher strategic level. At the same time, he signalled that India is not abandoning its support for the Palestinian cause. At the core of this calibrated approach was Modi’s endorsement of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan. India’s focus is now shifting from rhetoric to signalling readiness to contribute to peace and reconstruction of Gaza.AdvertisementThe moral burden on India’s Israel policy is increasingly untenable in the face of profound changes sweeping the Middle East. Israel has emerged as a dominant military power with expanding ties across the region — including with former adversaries. Meanwhile, the willingness of leading Arab and Muslim states to work with Trump’s peace plan — even after accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza and the US of complicity —underscores the gap between their rhetoric and individual national interests. Several influential Islamic countries have joined the Board of Peace and agreed to participate in the Gaza Stabilisation Force. The unanimous adoption of UNSC Resolution 2803, widely viewed as favourable to Israel, highlights how far the global approach to the Palestinian question has shifted. It also exposes the growing disconnect between global realpolitik on Gaza and the performative moralpolitik embedded in India’s domestic discourse.