According to a TOI report, Israel's Deputy Ambassador to India, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, has sparked a significant diplomatic conversation by declaring India a superior mediator compared to Pakistan in resolving the escalating crisis in West Asia.

Speaking at a public forum, she emphasised India's rising stature as a balanced and credible voice on the global stage, while dismissing Pakistan's efforts to insert itself into mediation talks as a bid for relevance.

This forthright statement underscores a deepening Israel-India partnership that extends beyond defence ties into the realm of high-stakes diplomacy.

The envoy's remarks come amid heightened tensions in West Asia, where longstanding rivalries between Israel, Iran, and their proxies have intensified. Recent escalations, including Iran's missile strikes on Israeli targets and Israel's retaliatory operations in Gaza and Lebanon, have drawn in global powers like the United States.

With traditional mediators such as the US facing accusations of bias, the search for neutral voices has gained urgency. Hassan-Nahoum's endorsement positions India as a natural fit, leveraging its historical non-alignment and growing economic clout.

Pakistan, by contrast, faces scepticism due to its chequered record on terrorism. Islamabad's repeated offers to mediate—often framed around its ties with Iran and Palestinian groups—have been met with derision from Israeli quarters.

The envoy highlighted Pakistan's 'desperate' attempts to stay relevant, pointing to its economic woes and internal instability as factors undermining its credibility. This critique resonates with India's long-held concerns over Pakistan-sponsored militancy, particularly after events like the 2019 Pulwama attack and ongoing cross-border tensions in Kashmir.

For India, this is a diplomatic windfall. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has pursued a nuanced West Asia policy, balancing strong ties with Israel—forged through defence deals worth billions, including Barak-8 missile systems and Heron drones—with pragmatic relations with Iran and Gulf states.

India's evacuation of over 20,000 nationals from conflict zones during recent flare-ups, via Operation Ajay and similar efforts, has burnished its image as a responsible power. The envoy's praise validates this multi-alignment strategy, elevating India's role in forums like the UN and G20.

Strategic autonomy lies at the heart of India's appeal. Unlike Pakistan, which aligns closely with China and has faced US sanctions over terror financing, India maintains equidistance. It abstains from one-sided votes at the UN on Israel-Palestine issues while advocating a two-state solution.

This approach mirrors India's mediation successes elsewhere, such as facilitating the Russia-Ukraine Black Sea grain deal in 2022. Israeli leaders, including Benjamin Netanyahu, have privately lauded India's restraint, seeing it as a counterweight to China's expanding influence in the region.

The timing of Hassan-Nahoum's comments is telling. With US President-elect Donald Trump's return looming—promising a hardline stance on Iran—West Asia risks further polarisation. Iran's nuclear ambitions and Houthi disruptions in the Red Sea already threaten global trade routes critical to India, which imports 85 per cent of its oil from the region.

A mediator like India could de-escalate by hosting talks, much as it did for the 2023 India-Pakistan ceasefire via backchannels. Israel's nod signals trust in New Delhi's discretion.

Pakistan's mediation ambitions, meanwhile, appear increasingly hollow. Its military rulers have pivoted towards Gulf funding to stave off default, yet terror havens like those of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan persist.

The Financial Action Task Force's grey-list status until recently further erodes trust. Israeli intelligence, sharing real-time data with India on threats like Lashkar-e-Taiba, views Islamabad as part of the problem, not the solution. This perception gap widens as India-Israel trade surges past $10 billion annually.

Broader geopolitical shifts amplify the envoy's message. The Abraham Accords have normalised Israel-Arab ties, side-lining Pakistan's traditional role. India's I2U2 grouping with Israel, the US, and UAE exemplifies this realignment, focusing on tech, energy, and semiconductors.

For Israel, courting India counters Iran's 'axis of resistance' and Pakistan's covert support for groups like Hamas. Hassan-Nahoum, a vocal advocate of this partnership, uses such platforms to rally Indian Jewish support and bolster bilateral goodwill.

India's domestic audience, too, welcomes the endorsement. Amid elections and economic pressures, it reinforces national pride in Modi's foreign policy.

Think tanks like the Observer Research Foundation have long argued for India as a 'Vishwa Mitra'—a friend to all. Yet challenges remain: balancing Saudi and Emirati interests, which back Pakistan financially, while navigating US pressures for stronger anti-Iran alignment.

This episode heralds a new diplomatic era where credibility trumps geography. As West Asia teeters, India's endorsement by Israel spotlights its evolution from a peripheral player to a pivotal mediator. Pakistan's irrelevance, by contrast, serves as a cautionary tale. Global powers now look to New Delhi not just for markets, but for moral and strategic clarity in turbulent times.

TOI