by Jerusalem meeting covers everything except what everyone’s really wondering about
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rolled out the diplomatic red carpet for India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry in Jerusalem, in a meeting that was officially about trade but probably about seventeen other things that neither side will mention publicly. The gathering had all the hallmarks of modern international commerce discussions: handshakes, smiles, and carefully worded statements that mean everything and nothing simultaneously.
The Minister arrived in Jerusalem bearing the diplomatic gifts of vague promises and mutual interest, while Netanyahu presumably offered the Israeli specialties of advanced defense technology and strong opinions about regional politics. Both sides described the meeting as “productive,” which in diplomatic language means “we talked, nobody walked out, and we’ll probably do this again.”
India’s strategy of maintaining warm relations with Israel while also keeping doors open in Tehran, Moscow, and Washington is the foreign policy equivalent of a WhatsApp group where everyone has different opinions but nobody wants to leave because the memes are too good. It’s a delicate balancing act that requires the diplomatic flexibility of a Cirque du Soleil performer and the memory of someone who can remember which friend they told what story to.
The official readout mentioned discussions about “expanding bilateral trade,” which could mean anything from selling more hummus to India or more paneer to Israel. Defense cooperation was also on the agenda, though how much of that cooperation involves actual commerce versus the kind of technology transfers that make both nations’ enemies nervous remains diplomatically ambiguous.
Netanyahu, demonstrating the political survival skills that have kept him in power longer than most smartphones remain functional, emphasized the growing relationship between the two nations. He probably didn’t mention that this relationship is built on the solid foundation of mutual interests, shared concerns about regional threats, and a pragmatic understanding that international relations are basically just very expensive networking.
The Indian minister, representing a nation of 1.4 billion people with diverse opinions on literally everything, managed to make statements that satisfied everyone from Hindu nationalists to secular liberalsa feat requiring the kind of political acrobatics that should qualify for Olympic recognition. “We value our relationship with Israel,” the minister said, while simultaneously not saying anything that would upset India’s other friends in the region.
Observers noted that the meeting location in Jerusalem itself is a diplomatic statement, given the city’s contested status. But India, master of the non-committal commitment, managed to attend the meeting while maintaining its official position on Palestinian statehooda diplomatic two-step that would make even the most skilled dancer dizzy.
The discussion of commerce and industry presumably covered India’s booming tech sector, Israel’s innovation ecosystem, and how both countries can profit from each other’s expertise while carefully avoiding topics like human rights, regional conflicts, and other inconvenient subjects that might harsh the collaborative vibe.
Both sides concluded the meeting by promising to “take the relationship to new heights,” which is what diplomats say when they want to sound ambitious without actually committing to anything specific. The photo opportunity that followed featured both men smiling with the practiced ease of people who do this several times a week with different countries.
SOURCE: https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/diplomacy/artc-netanyahu-meets-with-india-s-minister-of-commerce-industry-in-jerusalem
SOURCE: Bohiney.com (https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/diplomacy/artc-netanyahu-meets-with-india-s-minister-of-commerce-industry-in-jerusalem)
