27 February 2026
By Publisher Ray Carmen
When Narendra Modi visited Tel Aviv, the diplomatic symbolism was unmistakable.
India and Israel have steadily deepened defence, technology and intelligence cooperation over the past decade. But in a region defined by delicate political balances, such visits are never viewed in isolation.
The question quickly echoed across international commentary:
What does the Muslim world think?
The Strategic Context
India has historically maintained a balancing act — strong ties with Israel while simultaneously supporting Palestinian statehood and cultivating relationships with Gulf and wider Muslim-majority nations.
Modi’s high-profile engagement with Israeli leadership — including an address to the Knesset — reinforced the strength of Indo-Israeli relations. Defence collaboration, agricultural technology exchange, cybersecurity and innovation partnerships were central themes.
For New Delhi, this is pragmatic diplomacy.
For some observers elsewhere, it is geopolitical signalling.
Critical Voices
Certain commentators in Pakistan and Turkey framed the visit as part of a broader regional alignment that could reshape influence in West Asia.
Some Muslim media outlets expressed concern that the optics of a deepening India–Israel relationship — particularly amid ongoing tensions in Gaza — risk appearing diplomatically imbalanced.
The absence of a heavy public emphasis on Palestinian issues during portions of the visit was noted critically in some quarters.
Measured Reactions in the Gulf
It is important to distinguish rhetoric from statecraft.
Several Gulf nations themselves have expanded engagement with Israel in recent years. For many governments in the region, economic cooperation, security architecture and strategic diversification now sit alongside traditional political positions.
As such, official responses across much of the Arab Gulf were notably restrained.
A Broader Realignment?
India today maintains strong partnerships with:
-
Israel
-
Saudi Arabia
-
The UAE
-
The United States
-
Iran
This multi-vector diplomacy reflects India’s emergence as a global power balancing complex relationships rather than choosing rigid blocs.
For some in the Muslim world, the visit is viewed through the lens of shifting alliances.
For India, it is part of a larger global strategy — securing technology, defence capability and geopolitical relevance.
The Bigger Picture
The modern Middle East is no longer defined solely by historic alignments.
Economic corridors, AI partnerships, energy transition and security cooperation are redrawing diplomatic maps.
Modi’s Tel Aviv visit sits within that transformation.
It does not erase longstanding tensions — but it reflects a world where nations increasingly prioritise strategic autonomy over ideological alignment.
