Since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Narendra Modi, gained power in 2014, there has been a notable shift toward anti-Muslim sentiment, which the party has leveraged to galvanize Hindu voters. Modi's administration has embraced the Islamophobic narratives promoted in the West, particularly in the context of the post-9/11 War on Terror. His landmark visit to Israel in 2017 marked a significant departure from previous Indian foreign policy, symbolizing a deeper alignment with Israeli interests. The relationship between India and Israel has been framed by leaders like Benjamin Netanyahu as a "son of blessings," facilitating military and strategic exchanges that echo Israeli tactics in Kashmir.
India's ongoing hostilities with its neighbors are influenced by communal political ambitions, particularly in relation to Muslim-majority countries. Both India and Israel have adopted discriminatory policies against Muslims within their borders. Despite emerging as independent states from British colonial rule around the same time, the political and economic realities in India have hindered a direct diplomatic relationship with Israel. Approximately 20 percent of India's population identifies as Muslim, and maintaining trade relations with significant Muslim neighbors in the Middle East poses a strategic challenge.
Historically, many Indian Muslims chose not to migrate to Pakistan or Bangladesh, drawn instead by the promise of security offered by India's secular constitution. This commitment to pluralism has roots in a long history where Muslim rulers, including the Sultans and Mughals, played pivotal roles in shaping India into a unified state. Leaders like Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan were instrumental in the struggle for independence, advocating for the rights of all religious communities. However, this hard-won legacy faces threats today due to the rise of Hindutva sectarianism.
Since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by Narendra Modi, gained power in 2014, there has been a notable shift toward anti-Muslim sentiment, which the party has leveraged to galvanize Hindu voters. Modi's administration has embraced the Islamophobic narratives promoted in the West, particularly in the context of the post-9/11 War on Terror. His landmark visit to Israel in 2017 marked a significant departure from previous Indian foreign policy, symbolizing a deeper alignment with Israeli interests. The relationship between India and Israel has been framed by leaders like Benjamin Netanyahu as a "son of blessings," facilitating military and strategic exchanges that echo Israeli tactics in Kashmir.
This evolving alliance, particularly in the context of the Indo-Pacific strategy, suggests that India's pursuit of regional dominance is closely linked to its partnership with Israel, which is bolstered by U.S. support. The implications of these developments extend beyond bilateral relations, impacting the broader geopolitical landscape in South Asia and challenging the secular foundations of Indian identity.
During Prime Minister Modi’s landmark visit to Israel, Pakistan’s then-Senate Chairman, Raja Rabbani, voiced severe criticism from Tehran, branding the India-Israel alliance as more than a mere political alliance and instead as a “union conceived in hell.” He cautioned that the emerging alliance of the United States, Israel, and India posed a significant threat to the Muslim world. Six years since, Rabbani’s words seem almost prescient as we witness multiple global conflicts. The West has taken bold actions against Russia in Ukraine, while Israel’s escalating offensive in Gaza has shattered Palestinian infrastructure and inflicted widespread suffering. Over a million Palestinians now endure dire conditions in hospitals or open air, struggling to survive as Gaza teeters on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe.
Though often ardent defenders of human rights, Western nations have responded with muted criticism or outright support for Israel. However, this stance is not uniform, as protests for Palestinian independence surge in European cities, and the International Criminal Tribunal in Geneva has even issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israeli military leaders, citing genocide and war crimes. Meanwhile, within Israel, Tel Aviv has seen demonstrations demanding an end to the Gaza offensive and Netanyahu’s resignation, while Orthodox Jewish communities in the United States have also protested Israeli policies following Hamas’s October 7 “Al Aqsa Flood” operation. In stark contrast, India has reinforced its support for Israel. While some countries have ceased arms sales to Israel, India has escalated its arms trade and defense cooperation.
Although home to the second-largest Muslim population worldwide, India has seen limited pro-Palestine demonstrations, with those voicing dissent facing backlash. For instance, Parveen Sheikh, a school principal in Mumbai, was dismissed after liking a pro-Palestinian post online. Similar incidents occur without significant coverage. Globally, repercussions for pro-Palestinian views are not uncommon: in Germany, Dutch footballer Anwar El Ghazi’s contract was terminated for his stance on Gaza. But in a significant ruling, a German court later found the termination illegal, awarding him damages. Such a decision, favoring a Muslim’s right to expression, would be challenging to envision in India, where communal tensions further restrict Muslim voices on Palestine.
In India, the targeting and discrimination against Muslims is neither new nor isolated, as they face persistent oppression and threats from anti-Muslim extremists determined to undermine their distinct identity. This agenda, propelled by the ruling Hindutva BJP, has heightened tension and instability across the entire subcontinent. International voices continue to raise concerns about the situation, with periodic condemnations from Western nations as well. Gregory Stanton, founder of the U.S.-based human rights organization Genocide Watch, has repeatedly warned of the potential for a Muslim genocide in India, expressing alarm at the apparent inaction of Indian authorities. His concerns have even echoed in the U.S. State Department, where, just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.S. last year, Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted “ongoing attacks on religious minorities in India” while presenting the 2022 International Religious Freedom Report. The report further noted statements from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum pointing to the risks of “genocide” in India. For India’s Muslim population, such external acknowledgments bring a measure of hope, as they come despite the strategic tensions between India and the United States.
On the occasion of Eid Milad-un-Nabi, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, addressing religious leaders in Tehran, underscored the responsibility of the Muslim world to oppose the persecution of Muslims in Palestine, Myanmar, and India. Khamenei emphasized that silence in the face of such oppression undermines the shared identity of Muslims worldwide. India’s Hindutva government responded with disapproval, with its Ministry of External Affairs dismissing Khamenei’s remarks as “unacceptable and reprehensible.” However, the government failed to provide evidence contradicting Khamenei’s statements about Muslim persecution in India. In his address, Khamenei also warned of forces attempting to weaken Muslims’ shared identity as an Ummah, remarking that while more than fifty countries are Muslim-majority, economic and energy stability in the West, as well as in India, largely depends on Middle Eastern nations. Yet, through division and internal discord, avenues for exploitation and oppression remain open. If the Middle Eastern countries—led by Saudi Arabia and Iran—had presented a united front against Israel’s violence in Gaza, Khamenei asserted, such a brutal genocide would not have been conceivable in today’s age.
The spirit of the Muslim Ummah is akin to a single, interconnected body, with one part deeply affecting the others. Islamophobia and the communal hostility of India’s ruling party are now having a direct impact on neighboring Bangladesh. Similarly, the persecution of Rohingya Muslims by Myanmar’s extremist Buddhist groups and military junta has placed an enormous burden on Bangladesh, complicating its social and economic stability. Israel’s ongoing devastation and atrocities in Gaza also reverberate far beyond, impacting the broader global order. Anti-Muslim conspiracies and targeted violence continue in numerous regions, but global Muslim leaders remain largely silent on these matters.
Following the killing of roughly 150,000 Palestinians and displacing over 55 million people in Gaza, Hezbollah has initiated retaliatory actions, with Israel now targeting Lebanon under the guise of “security measures.” Netanyahu’s aggression towards Lebanon seems inconceivable without approval from the United States, especially after nearly two decades of besieging Gaza, bombarding it daily, demolishing its cities, and leaving millions in ruin and famine. With Muslims worldwide largely unable to mount resistance or mobilize support for the Palestinians, Zionist forces are emboldened to carry out new acts of violence.
A month ago, a series of coordinated explosions from pagers and walkie-talkies rocked Beirut and its suburbs, killing dozens and injuring thousands. Israeli military experts described this as a preemptive measure in anticipation of an extensive ground assault on Lebanon. Investigations have since linked one of the explosions to an Indian youth. Furthermore, on September 21 and 22, successive Israeli airstrikes flattened buildings in Beirut, killing 15 and injuring hundreds. Former Israeli Defense Forces commander General Gershon HaCohen has since stated that a ground operation in Lebanon is necessary to secure Israel’s interests. Instead of seeking a ceasefire in Gaza or recognizing Palestinian independence, Israel and its Western allies are widening the conflict into Lebanon, Syria, and Iran, pursuing a long-standing agenda to create a Greater Israel and secure dominance in the region.
India, aligned with Israel and fueled by the Hindutva agenda, mirrors this aggression, targeting its neighboring communities and pursuing its own vision of a “Mahabharata.” Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s recent ousted prime minister and their regime, supported by Indian influence, allegedly seeks to consolidate power through ongoing violence and repression. They started the dirty game again. The people of Bangladesh, however, are resisting this domination, with student protests and a broader movement pushing back against external influence and calling for democracy. The unity and resilience of the people can offer a powerful resistance against these forces, provided political leaders remain vigilant to the nexus of Zionist and Hindutva interests that fuel these conflicts.
In light of the complex dynamics outlined, it is clear that the intertwined agendas of Zionism and Hindutva represent more than isolated regional issues; they signify a broader pattern of oppression with global consequences. The Muslim Ummah, bound by a shared identity, faces unparalleled challenges that require unity and proactive resistance. While international voices have occasionally raised concerns, true change must come from within the affected communities and nations themselves. Only through solidarity, strategic alliances, and a commitment to justice can the Muslim world counter these forces of division and protect its people and values. It is essential for the leadership and citizens alike to recognize the far-reaching impacts of these conflicts and to work towards a future rooted in equality, respect, and peace for all.
Md Uzzal Hossain 
