Congress’ Jairam Ramesh References Nehru–Einstein Letters Following PM Modi’s Knesset Speech
Congress Leader Recounts Historical Context of India–Israel Relations
New Delhi, Feb 26 : Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Thursday responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent speech at the Knesset, pointing to historical evidence that India’s engagement with Israel predates formal recognition and was shaped by careful deliberation under Jawaharlal Nehru.
In his address to the Israeli Parliament on Wednesday, PM Modi described India’s recognition of Israel on the day of his birth as a “historic coincidence” and highlighted the evolution of bilateral ties in recent years. Ramesh, however, emphasized that India’s early approach to Israel involved deeper intellectual and diplomatic exchanges.
Ramesh cited correspondence between Albert Einstein and Nehru, noting that Einstein wrote to Nehru on June 13, 1947, regarding the creation of Israel. Nehru replied a month later, reflecting the nuanced position India held at the time. The Congress leader also mentioned the meeting between Nehru and Einstein at Princeton on November 5, 1949, as an example of the thoughtful discussions shaping India’s early foreign policy.
Further context included Einstein’s refusal of Israel’s Presidential offer in November 1952 and his later letters with Nehru on nuclear issues, underscoring the global and ethical lens through which India approached diplomacy under Nehru.
Ramesh’s remarks seek to situate India’s current Israel engagement within a broader historical and moral framework, contrasting it with PM Modi’s contemporary narrative and highlighting the legacy of balanced diplomacy that considered both Israel and Palestine.
