For understanding of US-India-Israel nexus, it would be better to first have a comprehensive overview of

one to one relation of the three states.

Indo-Israel

At the time of independence, with gap of few months, orientation of India and Israel in international
arena was almost opposite and remained so for almost four decade. India was part of Non-Aligned
Movement and developed close ties with Arab countries and Soviet Union while Israel’s interests rather
dependence was with United States. India extended de-jure recognition to Israel in 1950, and formally
established full diplomatic relations in 1992. Since then, there was gradual but consistent strengthening
and expansion of relations in various domains. https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/history-and-
overview-of-india-israel-relations The bilateral relations between the two countries are multifaceted
with defence, agriculture, education and culture being the main areas of cooperation.
https://itrade.gov.il/india/israel-india/. The trade magnitude has risen to over $5 billion (excluding
defence deals) from a modest beginning of $200m in 1992.
https://www.israelhayom.com/2019/06/04/what-modis-re-election-in-india-means-for-israel/.
According to report published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in March
2019 for the period 2014-2018, Israel has become the world’s eighth-largest weapons exporter, with
India being the largest client accounting for 46% of Israeli exports.
https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2019-03/fs_1903_at_2018_0.pdf. The recent warmth,
particularly in defence sector, in the bilateral relations is not older than a decade and has evidently
picked pace after election of Mr Narendra Modi as Indian Prime Minister in 2014. During his first term
in office that began in May 2014, Modi has been credited with taking Israel-India ties to a new level. In
2015, President Pranab Mukherjee became the first Indian head of state to visit Israel. The following
year, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin reciprocated by touring India. In July 2017, it was Modi’s turn to
write history by visiting Israel – the first-ever by a sitting Indian head of government. In January 2018,
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in India to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic relations between the two countries. https://www.israelhayom.com/2019/06/04/what-
modis-re-election-in-india-means-for-israel/

US-Israel

History of ideological US-Israel relations can be said to precede the very independence of both the
countries. Israel, the Jewish state, has Zionism in its very roots and Zionists are said to have played an
important role in American war of independence as acknowledged by President Calvin Coolidge. On the
other hand, American presidents, as senior as President John Quincy Adams (1825-1829), are said to
have supported the idea of independent Jewish state even before there was any serious effort for the
cause. The critical role played by President Harry Truman in securing adoption of the partition resolution
at UN is well known, US was the first nation to recognize Israel, only 11 minutes after its independence
proclamation. During more than six decades of state-building, Israelis have looked to the United States
for political inspiration, financial and military assistance and diplomatic support. Americans, in turn, have
viewed Israel with a special appreciation for its successful effort to follow the Western democratic
tradition, its remarkable economic development, and its determined struggle against its uncompromising
enemies. https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/roots-of-the-u-s-israel-relationship. The two states are
collaborating in various fields, defence being the most important. US has been a major contributor to
strengthening of Israeli economy, Since 1974, Israel has received more than $120 billion in aid and has
been the largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid. U.S.-Israel economic relations have been unaffected and
remain robust with imports and exports totaling more than $35 billion. US can be stated as sole nation
that helped Israel sustain its existence and develop itself to become world 8th largest defence exporter
today https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2019-03/fs_1903_at_2018_0.pdf. In September 2016,
the two governments signed a ten-year MOU on military aid covering that provides Israel with a record
$38 billion in military aid, This new MOU replaces the $30 billion 10-year agreement, which expires in
FY2018. Military trade, initially one-way, commenced with sale of Hawk antiaircraft missiles to Israel in
1962, subsequently MOUs signed during presidency of Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan between the
two countries transformed the bilateral relations into two-way Strategic Alliance. Recent major projects
of cooperation in defence include joint production of Joint Strike Fighter F-35 and Israeli entitlement to
procure 75 such aircraft, co-development of Arrow Anti-Tactical Ballistic Missiles, export of Israeli
‘Trophy’ anti-missile tank defence system to US, co-development of ‘David-Sling’ counter cruise missile,
co-production and transfer of technology of originally Israeli built ‘Iron-Dome’ anti-missile system, US
investment in Israel Missile Defence system and Anti-tunnel technology.
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/u-s-israel-a-special-alliance#Strategic

Indo-US

India formally proclaimed neutrality in the developing cold war at the time of independence that set the
tone of relations with US for decades to come. The relations kept estranged due Indian twenty-year
Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation with the Soviet Union in 1971, conduct of nuclear tests in 1974,
refusal to Nuclear Nonproliferation Act in 1978 and conduct of nuclear tests in 1998. A shift in US-India
relation is observed with Bill Clinton’s Presidential visit to India in March, 2000, following which the next
two decades see bilateral ties between the two countries improve and flourish during the presidency of
George W. Bush and Barack Obama. The economic and military relations strengthened with signing of
landmark Civil Nuclear Deal and US-India ten years Defence Framework in 2005, the Framework has
been renewed in 2016 for next ten years. America sees India as ‘an indispensible partner’ as Henry
Clinton called it, during first strategic dialogue in 2010. https://www.cfr.org/timeline/us-india-relations.
Over years, the cooperation among the countries, in addition to defence, has expanded to space
technology, cyber security, intelligence sharing and agriculture. US has become the third largest
exporter of arms to India over the last five years https://www.sipri.org/sites/default/files/2019-
03/fs_1903_at_2018_0.pdf and has elevated India to the status of ‘major defense partner’, a
designation uniquely crafted for India which means that India will enjoy some of the benefits of being a
U.S. treaty ally, such as access to defence technology. The MDP designation institutionalized a
prioritization of India that resulted in the release of advanced defense technologies and increased
staffing resources for Indian requests. Particularly welcomed by New Delhi was the coveted “Strategic
Trade Authorization 1 Status,” which streamlines exports of sensitive goods from the United States and
facilitates the integration of both nations’ supply chains in defense manufacturing. Not even Israel has
STA-1. https://www.the-american-interest.com/2019/06/24/from-inertia-to-integration-getting-serious-
about-u-s-india-defense-cooperation/ The NASA and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) are also
cooperating in various projects like Chandrayaan-1, India’s first mission to the moon and joint venture of
NASA-ISRO synthetic aperture radar project or NISAR. https://in.usembassy.gov/bringing-u-s-india-
space-cooperation-to-the-edge-of-the-universe-special-address-by-u-s-ambassador-to-india-richard-
verma-at-the-orf-kalpana-chawl/. India was granted preferential trade status under GSP program
(recently revoked). The bilateral trade between the two countries has reached $142 billion in 2018.
https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-india/

Recent developments

The US-Israel terms are at ever high under the presidency of Donald Trump. In December, 2017
President Trump formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing nearly seven decades
of American foreign policy, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/06/world/middleeast/trump-jerusalem-
israel-capital.html the move that drew severe criticism internationally and even a UN Resolution against
it in General Assembly supported by 128 countrieshttps://thediplomat.com/2017/12/explaining-indias-
un-vote-on-jerusalem/. Undeterred, US moved embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May, 2019 amidst
protests and condemnationshttps://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-everything-you-need-to-
know-about-the-u-s-embassy-in-jerusalem-1.6062554. Trump went a step further in March, 2019 by
signing a proclamation officially granting U.S. recognition of the Golan Heights as Israeli territory
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-israel/trump-recognizes-golan-heights-as-israeli-boosting-
netanyahu-and-angering-syria-idUSKCN1R61S6. It is interesting to see how India, for the sake of
relations with Arab countries, voted in favor of a UN General Assembly resolution rejecting U.S.
recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel https://thediplomat.com/2017/12/explaining-indias-un-
vote-on-jerusalem/ while, as a balancing act, voted in favour of Israel in the UN Economic and Social
Council (ECOSOC) to deny the Palestinian non-governmental organisation 'Shahed' the observer status,
in June, 2019 https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/israel-pm-thanks-modi-
for-indias-vote-against-palestinian-group/articleshow/69769915.cms. India’s budget cut for Chahbahar
port from Rs. 150 Crore to Rs. 45 Crore in FY 2019-20 and end to Oil import from Iran in May, 2019 is
also an important manifestation of Indian relations with US and Israel.
https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/the-chabahar-angle-to-iran-
sanctions/article28334469.eceAlthough US-India relations seem to be restrained currently due ongoing
tariff war (June-July 2019), US ending preferential trade status of India and India raising tariff on US
products, https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/foreign-trade/after-multiple-pauses-
india-to-raise-tariffs-on-us-goods/articleshow/69796585.cms?from=mdr it is less likely to cause strategic
damage. Despite of this trade row, India is lining up for defence deal with US worth $10 billion.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-lining-up-defence-deals-worth-10-billion-with-us-amid-
trade-row/articleshow/69919916.cms

US-India-Israel Nexus – Implications and Options for Pakistan

The one thing common in the three countries is that they see themselves as democracies threatened by
Islamic extremism and state and non-state actors that train, finance and encourage terrorism. Pakistan
has long been alleged to support and export terrorism, the narrative carried by India and US alike. US
policy shift away from Pakistan in favor of strategic relationship with India is evident, however, US has
no option but to maintain fair ties with Pakistan due her critical role in Afghan peace process and
influence over Afghan Taliban to negotiate face saving for US forces which they desperately need.
Implications for Pakistan of this nexus are evident from the recent Indo-Pak aerial skirmish in February,
2019. Not only India used Israeli-made Rafael Spice-2000 “smart bombs” in the so called surgical strike,
Israel was playing a big role in the complete episode https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/israel-
india-pakistan-conflict-balakot-arms-trade-jaish-e-mohammed-a8800076.html. India with the backing of
Israel and a third ‘unnamed’ nation had also planned a “dangerous attack” to be executed from its
Rajasthan airbase which was foiled by timely intelligence and threat of befitting response.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1467659. This is not the first time that Israel has attempted to target
nuclear assets of Pakistan, a similar plan was in the cooking in 1986-87.
https://dailytimes.com.pk/363012/indo-israel-nexus-against-pakistan/. Pakistan can be hindrance in
way of US plan of complete dominance in the region by supporting India and containing China. Israel has
own ideological reasons to feel threatened by Pakistan in view of its plan to build Greater Israel.

Pakistan has to play her cards very carefully, in long-term, the foremost thing is to achieve self-reliance
through technological development which, as pre-requisite solicit, strong economy and education
development. China and Russia are the two regional powers that can be reached to counter the Nexus
threat. CPEC development is of strategic importance for both Pakistan and China; it should be pursued
consistently and devotedly while safeguarding and promoting own national interests. Pak-Russia
relations have started to improve recently, they should be taken to strategic level where both nations
benefit bilaterally.