Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Israel has triggered an outsized response from Pakistan, with editorials and opinion pieces flooding Pakistani media even before the trip concluded.

These pieces brimmed with alarmism, portraying the deepening India-Israel ties as a sinister alliance between "Hindutva and Zionism"—framed as twin threats to Muslims worldwide.

Such rhetoric casts the visit as nothing short of a plot against Islam, blending outright vilification with claims that border on the comical.

Yet, India and Israel have maintained a robust defence partnership for decades, so Modi's trip hardly marks uncharted territory. The visit produced 16 agreements, involving landmark defence developments. Crucially, no formal military alliance emerged—India maintains no such pacts with any nation, including its longstanding strategic partner, Russia.

Pakistan's agitation seems disproportionate, especially given its own recent diplomatic flexing. Just months ago, Islamabad boasted of forming an "Islamic NATO," a bold initiative to unite Muslim-majority nations under a defence umbrella.

This followed a fresh defence pact with Saudi Arabia, signed shortly after India's Operation Sindoor. The agreement commits both sides to view attacks on one as assaults on the other, paving the way for joint deterrence and military collaboration—a clear hedge against potential Indian action.

The Saudi-Pakistani deal revived ties that had cooled, much to Pakistan's relief. It promised economic lifelines for a faltering economy and access to advanced weaponry. Adding to the momentum, Turkey—a NATO heavyweight with the alliance's largest army—signalled interest in joining this trilateral bloc, amplifying its potential to unsettle global observers.

The timing raised eyebrows. The "Islamic NATO" announcement came amid Israel's intense airstrikes on Qatar-linked Hamas targets. For Pakistan, India remains the primary strategic foe; for Turkey, Israel has evolved from ally to arch-rival, while its relations with India have soured markedly.

One might ask why Pakistan objects to a hypothetical India-Israel alliance, akin to the "strategic hexagon" floated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. After all, the Islamic NATO concept has stalled due to Saudi-Turkish rifts, though Pakistan's bonds with both endure.

Post-Operation Sindoor, Pakistan has enjoyed unusual diplomatic tailwinds. It received steadfast backing from Turkey, Azerbaijan, and China—its "iron brother"—during the conflict. The Trump administration has since warmed to Islamabad in ways unseen for two decades, unlocking IMF bailouts and a seat on Trump's Board of Peace, with prospects of Gaza reconstruction contracts.

Leaders from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan recently visited Islamabad. This surge contradicts Pakistan's familiar narrative of isolation.

So, what drives Pakistan's angst over India-Israel ties? Perhaps it stems from a recognition of asymmetry: India-Israel relations are genuine partnerships, while Pakistan's alliances often smack of clientelism. The Saudi pact's mutual defence clause rang hollow when Pakistan clashed with the Taliban sans Riyadh's aid.

The "Islamic NATO" rhetoric serves ideological ends, masking transactional realities. If partnering with Israel is diabolical, why the silence on Azerbaijan—Pakistan's "brother"—which has become one of Israel's top arms clients amid the Gaza war and its anti-Palestinian stance?

Turkey's media decries Israel hiring Indian workers to supplant Palestinians, yet Ankara has not halted Azeri gas transiting its territory to Israel since October 2023. Solidarity with Palestinians takes a backseat to transit fee revenues.

Fear-mongering may distract from Pakistan's domestic woes. It faces insurgencies in Balochistan, Sindh, POK and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, plus tensions with the Afghan Taliban—all Muslim-on-Muslim conflicts claiming civilian lives, which Islamabad falsely pins on India.

Demonising India also obscures Pakistan's own record on Palestinians. During Jordan's Black September in 1970, Pakistani troops aided King Hussein in suppressing Palestinian fedayeen, spilling Palestinian blood. Echoes may resurface as President Trump reportedly presses Pakistan to send forces to Gaza.

India, by contrast, balances Israel ties with West Asian outreach, including Palestinian support. Amid the Gaza war, it has dispatched aid and reaffirmed a two-state solution. Notably, as PM Modi addressed Israel's Knesset, India unveiled scholarships for Palestinian students.

Pakistan's partnerships lack this breadth; envy might explain the reaction. India-Israel deals span defence, AI, Hi-Tech, agriculture, irrigation, culture and space—cooperation unburdened by religious pretexts.

Ultimately, Islamabad's meltdown reveals more about its insecurities than any real threat from PM Modi's visit. While Pakistan clutches at transient alliances, India's engagements project enduring strategic maturity.

NDTV