Modi has laid the groundwork for businesses to engage with Israel
Palestine from India’s West Asia policy, Modi has mowed the grass, as they say, and created a level playing field. Whether it is defence or cyber security, India’s private sector will have to take the lead. The initial signal was the signing of deals worth $4.3 billion in the first meeting of the CEO Forum. The size might look small, but it is worth noting that the total bilateral trade is just over $5 billion and is dominated by the diamond trade.
While preparing to be a facilitator through visa, flight, and other economic opportunities, Modi puts the private sector as the prime force behind the bilateral relations. This is in line with the de-centralisation of the bilateral relations since the mid-1990s when much of the focus moved away from the national capital to states and from political issues to economic development.
By ‘normalising’ Israel within India’s West Asian interests and policy, Modi has done the political work and signalled a warmer political climate vis-à-vis Israel. He has used his charm offensive to reach out to the ordinary Israeli and the local media, which normally cover local and sensational issues. The result: Local media devoted considerable space to Modi’s visit. The murmurs against Netanyahu spending the whole three days with Modi were also far limited by Israeli standards. Now it is up to the business communities of both the countries to take things forward.
PEOPLE SAY THE ONLY THING CERTAIN IN LIFE IS DEATH. BUT TO ME THAT’S ONLY A PART OF THE BIGGER PROCESS. THE ONLY THING CERTAIN IS THAT EVERYTHING WILL EVOLVE AND DIE, JUST AFTER PASSING ON ITS GENES TO SOMETHING NEW
likes to point out, sati was also part of Indian culture. Was it worth preserving that? Of course not. Culture changes, it evolves, it never remains the same. It’s the same with religion. People say you can’t pick the best bits out of religion — you have to choose one or the other — but why not? Most of us already pick and mix the bits we like.
But what about the kids? Well that’s easy. They can learn about two cultures instead of one. They can learn Spanish as well as English and Hindi. No one loses out if an Indian orphan is raised by white parents, or some Sikh parents raise a white child to learn Punjabi. All that matters is they provided a loving home.
People say the only thing certain in life is death. But to me that’s only a part of the bigger process. The only thing certain is that everything will evolve and die, just after passing on its genes to something new. Something more beautiful than before. So why are we fighting against inter-mixing when it’s the basis on which humanity has thrived?