recognition without relations 117the sentiments of our friends in the Arab countries.”^50 Similarly, its ambas-
sador in Cairo also attributed the delay to Arab pressures. Speaking to
the Egyptian media soon after recognition, he remarked:
For some time now announcements were being made that India did
intend to recognize Israel and that it was only a question of time. In-
dia’s intentions were made known well in advance to the Arab diplo-
mats in New Delhi and to the Governments in the Middle East
through Cairo. Some of these Governments requested India to post-
pone her decision but India felt that any further postponement would
not serve any useful purpose.^51Moreover, by the time India had recognized Israel, all the neighboring
Arab states, including Egypt, had signed the armistice agreement with
the Jewish state.^52 This move could be interpreted as the Arab acquies-
cence, if not tacit recognition, of Israel.
A note prepared by the Ministry of External Aff airs in February 1950
even linked recognition to the question of hajj and added a host of pre-
conditions such as the resolution of the refugee problems, boundaries,
and the Jerusalem question.^53 Indian apprehension over Saudi dis plea sure
and the possible repercussions upon hajj pilgrimages underscore the re-
ligious dimension. Fears over Pakistan and its moves among Arab and
Islamic countries came to haunt India for the next four de cades and con-
tributed to the prolonged absence of formal ties with Israel.
If the above were the reasons for the delay, what infl uenced, if not com-
pelled, the September 1950 decision?
Reasons for Recognition
From the available rec ords, one can identify nine possible explana-
tions for Indian recognition. Legally, India is committed to the Declaratory
Theory of Recognition and, as one scholar concluded, in its position, “rec-
ognition registers but does not create a situation.”^54 It scrupulously avoided
creating a situation whereby its recognition alone would constitute a real-
ity. Even in the case of Bangladesh, in whose formation it played the pivotal
role, recognition did not come until December 1971.^55
Second, it accords recognition to a newly formed state as soon the latter
fulfi lls basic attributes of a state and expresses and exhibits its willingness