 "Vantage | Why it’s time for India to attempt mediation in Israel")
India has launched another mission to help Indians get home. It’s called Operation Ajay. The first flight with 230 passengers from Israel landed in New Delhi this morning. We expect many more such flights in the days ahead because there are thousands of Indians in Israel, about 18,000. Many moved here for work or higher education. There are plenty of Indians working in Israel’s healthcare sector as well. India and Israel are friendly countries, the people-to-people ties are strong, but right now, New Delhi believes that Indians need to come back home because the war is escalating. The consul general of Israel, Kobbi Shoshani, sent out this message yesterday: “There are around 18,000 Indian citizens in Israel … once we win this war against Hamas, ISIS terrorists, Jai Hind”. This is not the first such mission to bring Indians home. Earlier this year, the government had launched Operation Kaveri to bring Indian citizens home from the Sudan. That conflict is still on. Last year, India airlifted its students from Ukraine after the war broke out. And now, they’re at work in Israel. India’s ministry of external affairs has been working on a war footing. New Delhi says its priority is the safety of Indian citizens. After evacuation, it’s time for diplomacy But let’s also discuss what next? What happens after Indians are brought back? Will that be the end of New Delhi’s role in this crisis? Will India try to negotiate or mediate like other regional and international powers? We ask because India is once again uniquely placed. It has leverage on both sides – Israel and the Arab world. Historically too, India had a good equation with Palestinians. So, what is New Delhi’s position on this crisis? Here’s what the government says. Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson, Indian ministry of external affairs, says: “Our policy has been longstanding and consistent. India always advocated the resumption of direct negotiations towards establishing a sovereign, independent and viable state of Palestine, living within secure and recognised borders, side by side at peace with Israel. I think that position remains the same”. He says that India’s position remains the same and that India has always wanted peace in the region, but will India make an effort to build that peace? Will India leverage its ties? Will it offer to mediate? If it does, it will be a departure from the past because India has never been a power broker in West Asia. That has traditionally been American turf, although it’s been changing of late. China stepped in a few months ago to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and this is in West Asia, far away from China’s traditional sphere of influence, yet Beijing waded in. Watch:
Time for a policy shift? So West Asia and its power politics is changing. What about India? India refrains from unilaterally entering conflicts. India participates through multilateral platforms. India sends troops to conflict zones as part of the UN peace keeping mission. But all of that is part of India’s traditional approach. In recent years, we’ve seen some shifts. Six years ago, India dehyphenated Israel and Palestine. A week ago, the Indian prime minister called Hamas terrorists. In the last one year India has called out western hypocrisy at the highest levels – refused to take sides in the Ukraine war, pulled off a wildly successful G20 summit, showed its diplomatic heft by forging consensus, demanded its rightful place at the U.N high table. India is ready to join the big league, but is India also looking at taking up big challenges? And right now, none seems bigger than this one in West Asia. So, will New Delhi step up? Or will it work behind the scenes? “In the world of diplomacy, we are always engaged in conversation and contacts. Of course we maintain close contacts with all relevant stakeholders at various levels,” said Arindam Bagchi yesterday. This was in response to a question about India reaching out to the UAE. He said India is engaging with all stakeholders. At this point, it’s hard to say what’s shape and scope of this engagement. We’ll be tracking this space for you. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost_’s views._ Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .