00:00External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
00:30is not just another diplomatic engagement.
00:34It is a strong signal of how India and Israel are moving closer strategically
00:40at a time when new power equations are emerging in the Middle East and South Asia.
00:46This meeting, held in Jerusalem, comes at a critical geopolitical moment.
00:53Both leaders spoke about deepening cooperation in security, technology, economy, connectivity,
00:59and skills. Areas that have quietly but steadily become the backbone of India-Israel relations.
01:07But to truly understand the timing and significance of this meeting,
01:13we must look beyond Jerusalem and toward Riyadh and Islamabad.
01:19Just months ago, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a strategic mutual defense agreement.
01:25Under this pact, an attack on one is considered an attack on both.
01:33This has raised eyebrows across the region,
01:35especially because of Pakistan's nuclear capabilities
01:38and Saudi Arabia's growing strategic ambitions.
01:42While the agreement does not openly mention nuclear weapons,
01:46reports suggest that Pakistan could offer indirect nuclear security assurances to Saudi Arabia.
01:55Even if this remains unofficial, the perception alone changes regional calculations.
02:01For India, this development is sensitive.
02:04Saudi Arabia is a key economic partner, home to millions of Indian workers.
02:08At the same time, Pakistan remains India's primary security concern.
02:14A closer Saudi-Pakistan military alignment complicates India's balancing act in the Gulf.
02:21And for Israel, the concern runs even deeper.
02:25Pakistan does not recognize Israel.
02:28It has historically taken a hostile stance toward Tel Aviv.
02:31Any framework that potentially gives Saudi Arabia strategic cover via Pakistan,
02:39especially after the Gaza conflict's stalled Saudi-Israel normalization,
02:43is viewed with caution in Israel.
02:46This is where India and Israel find common ground.
02:50Both nations share concerns over terrorism, regional instability,
02:54and the spread of extremist networks.
02:57And both are led by leaders who place national security at the center of governance.
03:04Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,
03:09India-Israel relations have moved from being quiet and cautious
03:13to open, confident, and strategic.
03:17Defense cooperation has expanded rapidly,
03:19from weapons systems and drones to research and intelligence sharing.
03:24Israel is now one of India's top defense technology partners.
03:30Beyond defense, the partnership extends to cybersecurity,
03:34agriculture, water management, and high-end innovation,
03:38sectors crucial for India's long-term growth.
03:41So, while the Jai Shankar Netanyahu meeting
03:44may not be a direct response to the Saudi-Pakistan defense pact,
03:48it clearly reflects a shared strategic instinct,
03:53a recognition that in a world of shifting alliances,
03:57reliable partners matter more than ever.
04:00As regional fault lines deepen from West Asia to South Asia,
04:05India and Israel appear increasingly aligned
04:08in their approach to security, stability, and strategic autonomy.
04:13And that alignment may well shape
04:15the next phase of geopolitics in the region.
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