Essays on Iran and Israel: An Indian Perspective

Sujata Ashwarya Cheema

This book, containing essays on themes relating to India's relations with Iran and Israel, deals with issues that have been intensely debated in the country for some time now. India’s robust ties with both Iran and Israel – bitter adversaries for more than three decades – have intrigued West Asia watchers. The essays herein highlight the parallel nature of India's engagements with the two countries and attempt to understand the critical concept of strategic autonomy that defines India’s foreign policy postures on contentious issues. The first five essays touch on the central drivers of India’s Iran policy and discuss the limits on New Delhi’s relations with the Islamic Republic. The last three essays dealing with Israel highlight the significance of India’s intervention on questions relating to Israel as well as Israel’s inspirational connection with India. With its unique treatment, lucid analysis and unusual organisation, this factually informed and policy oriented collection of essays on India, Iran and Israel will be an extremely useful resource for scholars, students, policymakers and diplomats alike. It will also interest business community involved with the West Asian region as well as any intelligent layperson looking for facts and figures on subjects discussed in the book.

Sujata Ashwarya Cheema Sujata Ashwarya Cheema is Assistant Professor in the Centre for West Asian Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. She obtained her higher education from Lady Shri Ram College (University of Delhi) and the School of International Studies (Jawaharlal Nehru University). She has worked as a researcher at the Rothberg International School, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Maison des Sciences de l’Homme (MSH) & Centre d’Etudes et des Recherches Internationales (CERI), Paris; and the Faculty of World Studies, University of Tehran. Her research interests include India’s West Asia policy, politics and foreign policy of Iran, Iraq and Israel, political economy of energy, and issues relating to democratisation in the region. Her book, Civil Society, Democracy and State in West Asia (edited), was published in 2010.