The Impact of Gandhian Ideology on India's Israel Policy.

Gandhi's politics in India largely coincided with the tenure of the British Mandate in Palestine. His most famous quotation relating to international relations is "Palestine belongs to the Arabs in the same sense that England belongs to the English or France to the French" which is the guiding principle of India's foreign policy before independence. Even after independence, successive Indian governments have pursued the same line in the sphere of its Middle Eastern policies, i.e., followed Gandhian pro-Arab policy. But with the ascendancy of the present Modi government, things have changed with many high profile official visits. It marks a transition in India's history, where India has finally gone all out in announcing its critically important relationship with the Israeli nation--which has for decades otherwise been a covert, behind-closed-doors bilateral interaction, anchored in military and intelligence discussions. But at the same time, India does not abandon Gandhian policy and continues to have a soft spot for Palestine. As older relationships and partnerships change and new actors emerge, it is time for a reorientation of India's 'Look West' policy in the context of modern-day geopolitical realities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]