normalization and after 261years later, India went to extent of conferring the Jawaharlal Nehru
Award for International Peace upon President Hosni Mubarak. These ef-
forts were not fruitful and did not remove the Egyptian dis plea sure with
India.^65
Other states were more accommodating. Despite some initial reserva-
tions, the principal Middle Eastern states have not allowed Indo- Israeli
relations to aff ect their bilateral ties with India. Contrary to pop u lar per-
ception, while in power even the BJP was more sensitive to strengthen-
ing India’s ties with the Islamic world.^66 Countries such as Iran and
Saudi Arabia have been more than willing to promote closer economic
and energy ties with India and are less worried about India’s Israel policy.
Far- reaching improvements in India’s relations with Iran happened after
and not before Indo- Israeli normalization. Likewise, signifi cant improve-
ments in its po liti cal and economic ties with Saudi Arabia happened after
- For its part, India was determined to decouple Pakistan from its
Middle East policy. This approach paid dividends. In January 2003, it
hosted President Mohammed Khatami as the chief guest of the Republic
Day celebrations; King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia enjoyed that privilege
three years later.
This growing confi dence in dealing with Israel was exhibited when
India decided to give a red- carpet welcome to Prime Minister Ariel Sha-
ron in September 2003. Since the early days of the state, controversies
dogged Sharon. For the critics of Israel, Sharon personifi ed all that was
wrong with Israel and Zionism. Even those who were sympathetic to-
ward Israel were extremely wary of meeting the maverick Israeli leader in
public. Not many Western countries were ready to host the Israeli leader
following his February 2001 election as prime minister. Belgium even
sought to initiate a war- crimes trial against Sharon over the Sabra and
Shatila massacre of 1982. Thus to host Sharon under such circumstances
was no ordinary feat for any country, let alone for India, which had a huge
amount of historic baggage. One might even describe it as a po liti cal
gamble.
Naturally, Sharon’s visit generated widespread protests. Led by the
communist parties, protest rallies were joined by various Islamic organi-
zations and groups that were critical of Israel’s heavy- handed policy
toward the al- Aqsa intifada. No foreign visit had previously generated so
much attention, controversy, and protest in India.^67 Sharon’s visit also
highlighted the other aspect of the bilateral relations: Arab and Islamic
indiff erence. Even countries such as Iran, which has serious problems