What Happened
- Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar spoke virtually at the Raisina Dialogue 2026 (5–7 March 2026, New Delhi), addressing the controversy over whether India was forewarned about the US–Israel strikes on Iran (28 February 2026).
- PM Narendra Modi had visited Israel on a two-day trip concluding on 26 February 2026 — just two days before the strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
- Saar clarified that Modi was not briefed about the Iran strikes during his Israel visit because "the decision we took was only on Saturday early morning" — i.e., the decision to strike was made on 1 March 2026, after Modi's departure.
- The specific trigger was "a failure of the negotiations between the US and Iran that took place on the same Thursday" — referring to the collapse of the final round of Geneva nuclear talks on 27 February 2026.
- Saar said the diplomatic failure made the military option inevitable on an accelerated timeline that did not allow for informing Modi.
- Speaking at the Dialogue, Saar also outlined an ambitious Israel–India agenda for 2026, calling India "the largest democracy on earth and also the fastest economy in the world."
- Modi's Israel visit had drawn domestic criticism in India once the strikes followed two days later, with opposition parties questioning whether India's foreign policy had been used as cover or signalling for the military operation.
Static Topic Bridges
India–Israel Relations — Strategic Depth and Complexity
India established full diplomatic relations with Israel only in January 1992, though interactions date to independence. Since then — and especially after 2014 — the relationship has been elevated to a strategic partnership. PM Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel in 2017.
The relationship spans: - Defence: Israel is one of India's top three defence suppliers. Key Israeli systems in India's inventory include Heron and Searcher UAVs, Barak air defence systems, Spice precision bombs, and the Iron Dome-related technology. India–Israel defence trade: ~$2 billion/year. - Agriculture: Israel's drip irrigation and water management technologies have been widely adopted in India. - Technology: Cybersecurity, agri-tech, and water tech cooperation. - Intelligence: Counterterrorism cooperation, particularly after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
- India does not recognise Israel as an occupying power in the legal sense — it has kept diplomatic ambiguity.
- India has historically supported a two-state solution for Palestine at the UN and bilateral forums.
- India has been careful not to frame the India–Israel relationship as anti-Iran or anti-Arab.
- Post-October 7, 2023 (Hamas attacks on Israel) and the subsequent Gaza war, India called for restraint on both sides and voted on various UN resolutions — maintaining its balancing posture.
- The 2026 Iran strikes, coming two days after Modi left Israel, significantly complicated India's diplomatic position.
Connection to this news: Saar's clarification attempts to insulate India from the charge of complicity — that Modi's visit was cover for pre-strike diplomacy. The statement was diplomatically necessary for India to maintain its neutrality vis-à-vis Iran.
The 2026 US–Israel Strikes on Iran — Strategic Context
The US–Israel joint strikes on Iran on 28 February 2026 were triggered by: 1. Iran's advancing nuclear programme: Tehran had reportedly enriched uranium to near-weapons-grade levels, narrowing the "breakout time" to weeks. 2. Collapse of the last diplomatic round: Geneva talks brokered by Oman, with IAEA participation, collapsed on 27 February 2026. 3. Prior US pressure: The Trump administration (re-elected in 2024) had re-imposed maximum pressure sanctions and made clear military action remained on the table.
The strikes killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, IRGC commander Mohammad Pakpour, and other senior officials in the opening wave. Iran responded with drone and missile strikes and by closing the Strait of Hormuz.
- The strikes were launched without UN Security Council authorisation — the US and UK vetoed resolutions condemning them.
- Israel invoked the right of self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter.
- Mojtaba Khamenei (Ayatollah Khamenei's son) was elected as the new Supreme Leader on 8 March 2026.
- The conflict has global economic implications: Strait of Hormuz closure disrupted ~20% of global oil trade; IMF projected every 10% energy price rise adds ~0.5% to global inflation.
- India has a direct stake: ~85% crude oil import dependency, Chabahar Port access, and 8.9 million-strong Gulf diaspora.
Connection to this news: The 48-hour gap between Modi's Israel departure and the strikes — and the diplomatic controversy it generated — forced Israel to publicly address whether India was informed, making Saar's Raisina statement a necessary act of damage limitation for the India–Israel relationship.
India's Non-Alignment Legacy and the Dilemma of Strategic Partnerships
India's traditional foreign policy principle of non-alignment — staying out of military alliances and major power conflicts — was tested acutely by the 2026 Iran situation. India has deepened strategic ties with the US and Israel while simultaneously maintaining historical ties with Iran and Russia.
The Multi-alignment doctrine (India's current approach) seeks to avoid the binary choice of picking sides. But events like the Iran strikes, where India's two strategic partners (US, Israel) are directly at war with a third significant partner (Iran), create unavoidable tensions.
India's dilemmas include: - Condemning the strikes risks damaging relations with Israel and the US (Quad partner + I2U2 partner). - Not condemning risks India's credibility as a voice for international law and sovereignty. - Iran's Chabahar Port is critical for India's Central Asia connectivity strategy — its future is uncertain.
- India's I2U2 group (India–Israel–UAE–USA) — formed 2022 — is focused on infrastructure, tech, and food security; its status amid the 2026 Iran war is uncertain.
- India has been calling for a "ceasefire" and "restraint" — language chosen to avoid explicit attribution of blame.
- India's opposition parties used the timing of Modi's Israel visit and the subsequent strikes to question the government's foreign policy judgment.
Connection to this news: Israeli FM Saar's clarification at Raisina directly addresses this political controversy — distancing India from the appearance of advance knowledge, which would have made India a de facto participant in the strike decision.
Key Facts & Data
- PM Modi's Israel visit: Concluded 26 February 2026 (two-day trip).
- US–Israel strikes on Iran: 28 February 2026 — two days after Modi left Israel.
- Israeli FM Gideon Saar's statement: Decision to strike made "only on Saturday early morning" — after Modi's departure; triggered by collapse of Geneva talks on 27 February.
- Geneva talks collapse: 27 February 2026 — Omani-mediated, IAEA-present nuclear diplomacy failed one day before strikes.
- Khamenei killed: 28 February 2026 in opening wave of strikes.
- New Supreme Leader: Mojtaba Khamenei (elected 8 March 2026).
- Strait of Hormuz: Closed by Iran as retaliation — ~20% of global oil trade disrupted.
- India's position: Called for dialogue and restraint; expressed condolences over civilian casualties.
- India–Israel defence trade: ~$2 billion/year.
- Chabahar Port (India-developed): Uncertain future amid Iran conflict; ~$85 million invested in Phase 1.
- India's Gulf diaspora: ~8.9 million Indians in Gulf states; ~$40 billion remittances annually.
- I2U2 group: India, Israel, UAE, USA — formed 2022; status uncertain post-2026 Iran war.
- Raisina Dialogue 2026: 5–7 March 2026; Saar spoke virtually.