Indo-Israel Relations

A Thriving Tapestry of Cultural Diplomacy and People-to-People Connections

Soumya Vartika 

India and Israel, geographically far apart and historically embedded in two very different civilisational paths, have consistently built up a relationship that moves beyond strategic and technological collaboration. The most intriguing and progressively influential aspect of this bilateral connection is one of cultural diplomacy and people-to-people connections. In the past few decades, the relationship between the people of both countries has deepened with increasing respect, common democratic values, and true interest in one another's heritage, traditions, and innovations.

This article examines the vibrant cultural connectivity between India and Israel, especially in terms of forms of tourism, cultural exchange programs, and educational and academic collaboration.

Tourism: A Route for Mutual Exploration

Tourism has been an exceptionally fast-growing and accessible means through which the Indo-Israeli relationship has developed on a people-to-people level. In terms of building bridges between communities, there has been a tremendous spike in the number of Israeli tourists coming to India in the past several years.  Each year, thousands of Israeli youth, especially those completing a period of compulsory military service, choose to travel to India as their journey of choice for adventure and self-discovery. 

States such as Himachal Pradesh, Goa, Rishikesh, and Kerala are now household names in Israel. These visitors are not ordinary tourists but cultural diplomats in themselves, interacting with Indian natives, attending spiritual and wellness retreats, and infusing the Indian economy.

However, the situation is different with outbound Indian tourists who are increasingly visiting Israel. The cosmopolitan vibe of Tel Aviv, the holiness of Jerusalem, and the richness of the two cities - Haifa and Nazareth - have all interested the Indian traveller. The simplified visa formalities and enhanced air connectivity have been important enablers for numbers to grow exponentially. The Indian Jewish diaspora has also been a significant factor in facilitating these movements, acting as a cultural intermediary for the two nations.

Indicators from 2023 showed a growth rate of bilateral tourism at over 20% versus the previous year, highlighting the growing and reciprocal interest in, and ease of travel. With increasing speed, and in tandem with India's outbound tourism market set to enter a rapid growth phase, Israel decided to promote itself as the destination of choice by initiating parallel campaigns aimed at the Indian festivals or holidays as a cost-effective method of exposure.

Cultural Exchange Programmes: Bridging Civilisations

India and Israel have engaged in cultural diplomacy for some time through, at times, the government, artists, institutions, and civil society, enabling a layered exchange of heritage and expression. India's Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and its Israeli counterparts, such as the Israeli Embassy's cultural wing in New Delhi, have played a key role in staging art exhibitions, musical performances, literary events, and film festivals, presenting the best of both cultures.

At the forefront of this cooperation is the Indo-Israel Cultural Festival, an annual celebration that represents the fusion of traditional Indian forms of dance like Kathak, Bharatanatyam, and more, with the folk and contemporary dance forms of Israelis. Accordingly, while festivals are indeed entertainment, they can also be an immersion into the cultural ethos of each other, starting at the grassroots level.

Furthermore, there is a rise in the collaboration between different people, organisations, or institutions in the area of visual art, cinema, theatre, photography & more. Israeli films have been screened in Indian film festivals, and Indian films have garnered appreciative responses in Israel. 

Traditionally, cross-cultural stories constructed via film and television often tell emotive stories of similar themes pertaining to aspects of resilience, identity, conflict, and religion, ringing especially powerful notes across borders.

Similarly, there has been a taste for Israeli food pop-ups in Indian cities and Indian food festivals in Tel Aviv, which has brought gastronomy as an area of diplomacy back to the front. These things request people to relate to 'the other' not necessarily through language or politics, but through the shared medium of taste, performance, and art instead.

Educational Exchanges and Academic Cooperation: Shaping Minds and Futures

One of the most forward-looking areas of Indo-Israel people-to-people relations is the deepening of education collaborations. Both countries have world-renowned institutions in fields related to scientific knowledge, technology, and innovation, and have found rich ground for the exchange of academics.

India and Israel have sought to grow their partnerships in the area of academics over the past few years, with stronger partnership agreements between the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and some of the top Hebrew universities, including the Technion—Israel Institute of Technology and Tel Aviv University. For example, IIT Delhi and IIT Madras have institutionalised research partnerships and exchange programs with Israeli universities in areas like new frontier technologies like artificial intelligence, water management, nanotechnology, and cybersecurity.

The India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund (I4F) has also helped to forge joint research efforts and bring academic pursuits closer to practical applications. Such programs not only expose scholars and students to academics but also allow them to experience one another's cultures and pedagogic practices.

Scholarships and fellowship schemes, especially those funded by the Government of Israel for Indian students, are gaining popularity. A huge number of Indian students take up master's and Ph.D. courses in Israel each year and return with knowledge and cross-cultural exposure. Similarly, Israeli academics have been brought to India under the GIAN (Global Initiative of Academic Networks) programme to provide expert lectures and work on faculty development programmes.

In addition, the ongoing development of Centres of Excellence and Indo-Israel centres in Indian universities reflects the growing intellectual relationship. The hiring of Hebrew language, Judaic studies, and interdisciplinary programs means that Indian students can become familiar with the cultural and historical environment of Israel.---

Youth and Digital Diplomacy: A New Frontier

One very positive feature of Indo-Israeli cultural diplomacy has been the youth dialogue through digital media. Social media campaigns done by Indian and Israeli missions together have discovered willing audiences among younger generations, and diplomacy is no longer just a state-to-state activity but a dialogue of engagement among goal-based constituents, including individuals, civil society, and lower levels of government faults.

Virtual interactions, webinars, collaborative start-up groups, and hackathons are gaining traction. They allow Indian and Israeli students, entrepreneurs, and artists to join forces in real-time, regardless of geographical distances. The Israeli Embassy in India has been most active in using venues such as Instagram and YouTube to de-mythologize Israel for Indian audiences, ranging from student life in Tel Aviv to Negev farm innovations.

Such projects are an integral part of creating an enduring camaraderie between upcoming leaders and changemakers in both countries.

Modern Cultural Diplomacy at Work

From its Germination in Defence and Strategic affairs, the Indo-Israel partnership now turns into a lush brocade of cultural and educational linkage. Tourism, the arts, academia, and virtual diplomacy-the columns of a relationship that extends beyond the mere calculation of national interest-are complementary to this shared human experience.

This cultural closeness simply cements the larger interplay India and Israel enjoy politically and economically. More importantly, it makes the relationship not just top-down but also bottom-up-better daily experiences, impacting the young psyche, and forming perceptions of empathy. 

While continuing to construct this bridge of awareness, the Indo-Israel cultural diplomacy stands as a symbol of hope at the international platform, wherein respect, collaboration, and investigation make more than the whole greater than the individual parts.

References:

• Ministry of External Affairs. (2023). India's Neighbourhood First Policy. https://www.mea.gov.in

• Chakravarty, P. (2022). Reimagining Neighbourhood Diplomacy. ORF Occasional Paper.

• Bajpai, H. (2020). India’s Changing Neighbourhood Policy. Brookings India.