Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar on Friday, 21 August outlined six core values that he says make the India-Israel relationship uniquely special — going beyond shared interests to shared civilisational identity. Azar delivered the remarks in a video message shared on X, offering one of the most detailed articulations of the bilateral bond by a sitting Israeli envoy.

Civilisational Resilience and the Fight Against Terror

Ambassador Azar named 'civilisational resilience and national revival' as the first core value, drawing a direct parallel between the two nations' historical experiences. 'Our identity was targeted, and there was, throughout history, an effort to try to strip us of our identity. But despite the ordeal that we had to pass through in modern millennia, we survived; our identity survived. And this is what we have in common,' he said.

The second value, he noted, is the fight against terrorism — particularly what he described as a wave of extremism rooted in 'radical Islam.' Azar said both nations have 'worked together for decades' to develop the tools needed to counter that threat, a reference to deep defence and intelligence cooperation that has grown steadily since the two countries established full diplomatic relations in 1992.

Democracy, Innovation, and Shared Freedoms

Democratic values form the third pillar, with Azar calling India 'the greatest democracy in the world.' He argued that freedom of speech and freedom of entrepreneurship are not just political ideals but economic engines. 'This free spirit is something that is very strong within our systems and makes us very strong,' he emphasised.

Innovation and competitiveness were cited as the fourth value. Azar pointed to joint efforts in building a more competitive environment, noting that both nations have emerged as significant sources of global innovation — India in software and services, Israel in deep-tech and defence systems. 'Together we are working in order to make a more competitive environment that will allow us to become stronger and more prosperous,' he said.

Tolerance, Spiritual Heritage, and Inclusive Growth

The fifth value — tolerance and spiritual heritage — drew on millennia of Jewish presence in India. 'Jews have felt very comfortable in India for millennia. There was never antisemitism in this country,' Azar said, highlighting a historical relationship that predates modern statehood for both nations. He noted a shared tradition of accepting other religions and ensuring freedom of worship.

The sixth and final value is 'sustained and inclusive development' — a commitment, Azar said, to bringing marginalised communities, including those with physical or mental limitations, into the economic mainstream. This framing aligns both nations' domestic development agendas with the broader bilateral partnership.

Values Over Interests: The Broader Diplomatic Signal

Azar was explicit in distinguishing the India-Israel relationship from transactional alliances. 'In the relations that we have with many other countries, we don't have these commonalities. We may have common interests, but we don't necessarily share common values. And with India, Israel shares common values,' he said.

The remarks come at a time when India-Israel ties are under heightened global scrutiny, given Israel's ongoing military operations in Gaza and India's carefully calibrated diplomatic posture on the conflict. Notably, India has maintained defence and trade ties with Israel while also supporting humanitarian resolutions at the United Nations — a balance that makes Azar's value-framing diplomatically significant.

As both countries look to deepen cooperation in defence, agriculture, water technology, and cybersecurity, the Ambassador's articulation of shared values is likely to serve as a reference point in future bilateral engagements.