6. Recognition Without Relations
The traditional pro- Arab position and opposition to the partition
plan inhibited India from immediately recognizing the Jewish state. At
the same time, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru could not ignore Israel’s
existence and its recognition by the international community and United
Nations. Even when India eventually recognized Israel in September 1950,
it was not followed by the logical next step of normalization of relations. If
recognition took more than two years to materialize, diplomatic relations
had to wait for over four de cades. The prolonged absence of formal ties
resulted in speculations about the nature of Indian recognition. The
Indian leadership, especially Nehru, wanted to establish normal ties with
Israel. Had it happened in September 1950 or soon afterward, subsequent
Indo- Israeli relations would not have been so controversial, partisan, and
agonizing.
Before looking at the absence of ties, it is essential to answer the central
question: why did India recognize Israel? We must also answer a set of
related questions: How do we square India’s pro- Arab stance with the rec-
ognition of Israel? Was it a fundamental shift that marked a reconciliation
with the Jewish claims in Palestine, or was it merely an aberration in
India’s overall Middle East policy? Was Nehru keen on the normalization
[Normalization] is a welcome decision, particularly because this issue had become
an unnecessary irritant in our domestic discussion of foreign policy. Had India
established full diplomatic relations with Israel in 1950, it would have been far
better. In its absence, all kinds of speculations were made about the benefi ts that
could have accrued to India had it established full diplomatic relations with Israel
long ago. —M. S. Agwani