NEW DELHI: Israel’s ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, has praised India’s growing influence in West Asia, saying New Delhi has a “huge role to play” in bringing stability to the region amid continuing geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty.Speaking about India’s role in the ongoing West Asia crisis, Azar said India’s expanding economic power and trade partnerships could transform the region if stability is maintained and extremist threats are contained.“India has a huge role to play because India is the fastest growing economy in our region and as a result of the agreements it has signed with all the major trade blocs, we are going to see trillions of dollars of merchandise moving, a lot of investment moving and our region, West Asia, can enjoy that if we have stability,” Azar said.“So we have to achieve stability, we have to neutralise the radical elements, and then I think both India and us and all the countries in the region will be able to enjoy the prosperity that is going to come from India towards our region.”The remarks come at a time when Israel has been increasingly highlighting its strategic and diplomatic relationship with India, while positioning New Delhi as an important economic and political partner in the wider Middle East region.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had last week underlined the strength of bilateral ties, saying Israel receives strong public support from India even as it faces criticism in other parts of the world.“We have a unique relationship with a huge power called India. In India, there’s support for Israel,” Netanyahu said during a public address.“We face delegitimisation in much of the world – but not in India,” he added.Netanyahu also remarked on what he described as widespread public affection for Israel among Indians, saying, “In India, there is an absolutely crazy love for Israel, truly crazy. I think I have more followers from India than from anywhere else.”The Israeli leader’s comments reinforced the increasingly visible warmth between New Delhi and Tel Aviv, particularly under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, which has steadily expanded cooperation with Israel in sectors ranging from defence and technology to trade and agriculture.During Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Israel earlier this year, Netanyahu also recalled a personal connection to India while addressing a joint press conference.“I have to say at the end of this visit that I owe India — I don’t know if I told you this, Narendra — but I owe India a great personal debt. You see, when I met Sara for the first time, I think our first or second date was in an Indian restaurant in Tel Aviv,” Netanyahu said.The visit further strengthened symbolic ties between the two countries, with Modi being awarded the “Speaker of the Knesset Medal”, regarded as Israel’s highest parliamentary honour.India and Israel have deepened engagement over the past decade, with both governments frequently emphasising cooperation on security, innovation, connectivity and regional stability. Israel’s latest remarks suggest that New Delhi is increasingly being viewed not only as a bilateral partner, but also as a potential stabilising force in the broader West Asian region.
