India vows to enhance relations with the Arabs
Regional-India, Politics, 5/28/2004

The new government in India yesterday vowed to give a new impetus for its relations with the Arab states and renew its support for the Palestinians, and thereby get away from the policy pursued by the previous government which was strongly biased to Israel.

"The Congress party" which constituted a coalition government at the support of communist parties along long decades has been for decades a supporter in the international circles for the Palestinians and established no diplomatic relations with Israel only in 1992.

In a statement under the name "the lowest rate program," the government announced and specified outlines of its policy to that "traditional relations with West Asia will be given a new impetus. The government renews a position India had ever committed to since decades towards the question of the Palestinian people and to establishing a homeland for it."

Under the last Indian government, Israel was the second exporters of weapons to India after Russia, its old alley. In 2003, India and Israel signed an agreement at USD one billion according to which New Delhi will buy Falcon system for air- born Israeli made radars. India also wants to buy the anti missile Ore missile system from Israel.

Analysts say that India's renewed support to the Palestinian question will not be at the expense of the military relations with Israel because new Delhi strongly needs renovation of its armed forces, the fourth major power in the world.

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