Hexagon of Alliances
Context:
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Tel Aviv for a two-day state visit Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has highlighted a new strategic framework.
Netanyahu described India as a "central pillar" of his proposed "Hexagon of Alliances"
About the Hexagon of Alliances:
The proposed alliance seeks to unite Israel with Greece, Cyprus, India, and undisclosed Arab/African countries.
Tel Aviv has framed this grouping as a strategic move to counter "radical adversaries" in the region.
“The intention here is to create an axis of nations that see eye-to-eye on the reality, challenges, and goals against the radical axes, both the radical Shiite axis, which we have struck very hard, and the emerging radical Sunni axis”, according to Netanyahu.
India’s Role:
India’s inclusion is viewed as critical, with Netanyahu emphasizing its role as a central pillar.
This aligns with New Delhi's strategy of de-hyphenating its ties with Israel and Palestine while deepening security cooperation
Key Agenda Items:
Defence & Security:
Discussions are expected to focus on intelligence cooperation and weapons development.
India has been the largest purchaser of Israeli weapons over the last decade.
Economic Corridor:
The leaders are also expected to push for the India-Middle-East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), in which both nations are key partners.
As of now, no government has endorsed this plan – or its sectarian framing.