When India expressed solidarity with Israel following the Hamas attack, many believed Delhi’s position on the Palestine cause changed while describing it as a “major policy shift”.

To clarify, external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said that India considers the Hamas attack to be “a terrorist attack” and reiterated that India was committed to its long-standing policy of support for the establishment of a “sovereign, independent, and viable state of Palestine.”

But such a perception was further solidified when India stood alone in the Global South in not voting in favour of a ceasefire in Gaza at the United Nations General Assembly.

At least 43,314 people and 102,019 wounded have been killed in the year-long conflict between Israel and Hamas, according to the health ministry in Gaza. The toll includes 55 deaths in the previous 24 hours.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu considers Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a close ally.

In 2017, Indian PM Modi made a three-day visit to Israel with a barefoot walk along the Mediterranean coastline alongside his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu. The leaders expressed their enthusiasm for strengthening bilateral relations through warm embraces, social media interactions, and commitments to enhance trade and collaboration.

Shaukat Piracha of Aaj News asked a question on this wavelength to Indian journalist Shubhajit Roy who was in Pakistan to cover a heads-of-government gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation last month.

It was part of his show Rubarro which was aired on Saturday.

Roy, who is associated with the Indian Express, clarified that the Indian government still supports the Palestine cause. But he highlighted that most of the Gulf and Arab countries started doing trade with Israel.

Ties with Israel on defence, security, science and technology sectors have deepened over the years, he added.

To further describe the changing scenario, he shared a comment to present a clear picture of the geopolitics.

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“A former Israeli envoy said Israel for India is like a mistress who hides its relationship and extramarital relationship.”

According to the Indian journalist, “The incumbent Indian government has made it open as interests are high related to the defence and security matters.”

Roy asked why a country would abstain from signing deals with Israel when the Arab countries were doing so.