International Relations

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. 

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