India and Israel partnership has entered its 34th year and the bilateral relations have expanded across multiple sectors - new technologies, cyber, agriculture, water management, health, defence, security, and entrepreneurship. Furthermore, both countries are inspired by innovation and driven by the future and these have acted as catalysts to deepen engagements.

Israel is determined to engage other nations to reflect diversity of Israeli society, its advancements in digital technologies, combat terrorism, and counter grey zone operations, even though public diplomacy is still difficult for it, especially when it comes to soft power assets. Since its founding, Israel has faced an existential threat, which was made worse by the October 7 killings and has hardened contemporary Israeli policy and thought. The regional and global media have not sufficiently highlighted Israeli security concerns.

Israel is faced with many border issues with Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria; however, the current dynamics are heavily guided by what happened during the October 7 attack, which fuelled anger among the Israelis and in the security establishment on how to ensure the safety and security of citizens with all available means at their disposal. As more focus is being given to Iran, Hormuz, and the situation between Israel and Lebanon, naturally, the U.S. has a role in everything, but this ignores the fact that Israel’s only intention is the security of its citizens. For that reason, the Israeli military is fighting terror arising from entities like Hamas and Hezbollah and ensure a safe environment for its citizens. Until that is ensured, Israel will not enter into any regional peace deal that does not guarantee security for the state.

Israel, for long, did not pay much attention to Pakistan’s role in the region, in similar ways as it explored cooperation Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, Iran has traditionally posed a challenge for influence in the region. In particular Iran’s nuclear ambitions pose a direct threat to its security. Israel is now waking up to the Pakistani factor in the Middle East, as it has deeply penetrated the region by signing a Middle Eastern NATO-style agreement with Saudi Arabia. At the same time, its troops are stationed in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Tel Aviv understands the severity of the threat that emanates not only from Iran alone but also from Pakistan due to the possibility of backchannel support for Iran’s nuclear ambitions by Islamabad. In the backdrop of its deteriorating economic situation, Pakistan will not pay attention to American pressure but will help Iran become nuclear by utilizing its geography and arranging funds from terror networks. This evolving context underscores the need for India to adopt and internalize critical lessons from the Israeli experience.

First, to navigate the issues and concerns in the region, Israel views West Asia through a Shia-Sunni lens and divides the region. However, this division also fits well with South Asian geopolitics which helps to understand the rise in radicalization and anti-Indian sentiments that do occasionally surface.

Second, the resilience among Israeli society is extraordinary having fought many wars, countered terrorism. The citizens support each other and focus on progress, with innovative minds knowing the state is small and most things are not available in the country. Hence, the citizens have opted for innovation, technology transformation, and easing life with scientific discoveries, irrespective of the threat and chaos that has surrounded them.

Third, the big lesson that comes from Israel is not just security—it is about the future, as the state is already informing the citizens about the future at the Shimon Peres Center and motivating the younger generations regarding what technologies and innovations will shape the world in twenty years. How would they impact societies, economies, and warfare? Israel is positioning itself for the coming world in areas such as “quantum computing, autonomous technology, precision agriculture, cybersecurity, medical science, and defence technology”. The country is ‘not chasing the future, it is building it’.

Fourth, India needs to keep a sharp eye on the security dynamics of the West Asian region, and in this context, there cannot be a better strategic partner to look towards than Israel, a nation which has turned existential threats into drivers of innovation, built world-class defence and technological ecosystem despite operating in one of the most unstable environments in the world, using a tiny fraction of the demographic size and resources available.

Fifth, the India-Israel partnership is an example of effective reform. The lesson for New Delhi is—Israel’s achievements did not result from bureaucratic processes but from a culture of Hutzpah boldness, risk-taking, strong collaboration between government, academia, and industry, and a national focus on self-reliance in vital technologies. The India-Israel partnership must evolve into a proactive ecosystem—focused on building genuine capabilities, training future scientists and strategists collaboratively, and positioning both countries as key players shaping the future, rather than passive consumers.

Unless India shifts its mindset on how it thinks about research, risk, and strategic capability building development—moving away from politics-driven appointments, rent-seeking systems, and an import-reliant approach—it will remain an import-dependent nation with no impressive technological future to speak of. The time for empty promises is over.

Dr. Devender Kumar is Head, School of Geopolitics and Public Policy, Faculty of Liberal Studies, REVA University, Bengaluru, India.