NEW DELHI: A survey of young urban Indians has found strong recognition of Israel’s role in India’s defence and strategic partnerships, with respondents placing Israel ahead of the United States and France on several measures of bilateral cooperation. The findings were released by the India Israel Centre on September 16.
The latest study found that 52 per cent of respondents considered India-Israel defence ties robust, placing Israel third among the countries assessed, while France received 51 per cent and the United States 46 per cent. On diplomatic partnerships, 41 per cent identified Israel as a key partner for India, compared with 39 per cent for the US. The India Israel Centre did not disclose the countries occupying the first two positions in the defence and diplomatic rankings.
The survey was conducted using an AI-assisted digital research platform among Indians aged 18–29. The findings highlighted defence cooperation and technological innovation as major factors shaping Gen Z perceptions of Israel.
Defence and technology shape young Indians’ view of Israel
The India Israel Centre said Israel’s defence rating had increased by five percentage points from the previous year. The Centre linked the visibility of India-Israel defence cooperation to cultural narratives, popular culture and podcasts, including discussion of Israel’s role in providing emergency laser-guided munitions and surveillance support to the Indian armed forces during the Kargil conflict. It also noted that a substantial section of Gen Z was born after the 1999 Kargil War, meaning their understanding of India’s defence relationships has developed in a different information environment.
The September findings build on an earlier India Israel Centre survey of 500 urban Indians aged 18–29, conducted in May 2026 across four regions, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan, Delhi-NCR, Southern India and Western India, with an equal gender split. That study found that 48 per cent primarily associated Israel with defence and military strength, while 35 per cent associated it with innovation and technology. 51 per cent rated Israel as technologically advanced.
The earlier survey also found 41 per cent favouring deeper India-Israel ties, compared with 28 per cent supporting maintenance of the existing level and 20 per cent favouring reduced engagement. On trust-related indicators, between 44 and 47 per cent said Israel understands India’s security challenges, respects its strategic autonomy, would stand by India in a crisis, or is a trustworthy partner.
The latest survey also identified the 22–25 age group as the most receptive to stronger India-Israel cooperation and reported a fourfold increase in respondents advocating substantially stronger future bilateral ties.
India and Israel established full diplomatic relations in 1992, and the India Israel Centre said the study focuses on a generation that grew up with the bilateral relationship as an established feature of India’s foreign-policy landscape. Aakash Guglani, a non-resident fellow at the India Israel Centre, said the survey sought to examine what this generation makes of the relationship.
India Israel Centre spokesperson Suresh Nakhua described the findings as reflecting “deep-rooted trust and affection” between the peoples of India and Israel and growing awareness of the bilateral relationship. The Centre is an independent policy research forum established in academic partnership with the Centre for Israel Studies at O.P. Jindal Global University, Haryana.
