India Reiterates Support for Sovereign Palestinian State

New Delhi: Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, while interacting with the media today, reaffirmed India’s enduring support for the establishment of a “sovereign, independent, and viable” state of Palestine. India has consistently advocated for direct negotiations leading to the creation of a sovereign and secure Palestinian state living peacefully alongside Israel.

This announcement comes after the Palestinian group Hamas launched rocket attacks on Israel on October 7. India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, condemned these attacks as “terrorist attacks” and expressed support for Israel during this challenging period.

Addressing the humanitarian situation in Israel and Gaza, Bagchi emphasized the universal obligation to observe humanitarian law while also stressing the need to combat terrorism in all its forms.

India is actively engaged in repatriating its citizens from Israel through ‘Operation Ajay.’ The first flight from Israel, carrying approximately 230 Indian citizens, is scheduled to land in India shortly. There are about 18,000 Indians in Israel, and efforts are being made to ensure their safe return.

When asked about providing weaponry to Israel, Bagchi noted that the primary focus at present is the safe return of Indian nationals from Israel. One Indian citizen has been reported injured, and the government is in touch with them, with no casualties reported thus far. In addition to those in Israel, there are four Indians in Gaza and twelve in the West Bank, all of whom are being monitored for their safety.