Israel wants India to lessen dependence on Iran

[Soumya_india]

Tel Aviv wants to partner New Delhi to explore Mediterranean gas reserves

Nudging India to lessen dependence on hydrocarbon imports from Iran, Israel has indicated that it is keen to offer New Delhi favourable terms both for partnership in production from its new-found natural gas reserves in Mediterranean Sea as well as for sale of the produce.

Days after Tel Aviv blamed Tehran for the blast on an Israeli Embassy official here, the Jewish country’s Minister for National Infrastructure, Uzi Landau, on Wednesday nudged India to move towards lessening its dependence on Iran and cited the instance of Israel to drive home the point that New Delhi could indeed explore alternative sources to meet its energy needs and consider buying more hydrocarbons from open market.

Landau called on Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, S Jaipal Reddy, on Tuesday and held discussions on the prospects of energy partnership between his country and India.

He, however, said that Tel Aviv had not yet made any specific offer to New Delhi, as it was yet to frame its policy on production and export of natural gas from Leviathan and Tamar reserves in Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Israel. “We will however like to boost our energy partnership with India and we will of course offer favourable terms to the countries that are friendly to Israel,” he said.

While fresh US sanctions is likely to make it difficult for India to pay for the crude oil it imports from Iran, Tel Aviv’s allegation against Tehran after the February 15 blast on the car of the Israeli Embassy here added to the pressure on New Delhi to slash its energy ties with Tehran.

Landau’s is the first visit by a high-level dignitary from Tel Aviv after the blast injured Tal Yehoshua, the wife of Chief Security Officer of Israeli Embassy in New Delhi. Yehoshua, who herself is also an employee of the Israeli Embassy, was initially admitted to a hospital in New Delhi, but was later flown to Tel Aviv. She is now recuperating in Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv.

The Israeli Minister called on National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon and held discussions on the investigations into the blast.

“We are highly impressed with the level of professionalism and commitment of the investigators and authorities in India and are satisfied with the probe,” Landau told a group of journalists on Wednesday. He said that Israel would share any information investigators in India might need and would also like to offer any other assistance if required.

Though New Delhi did not echo Tel Aviv to blame Tehran for the February 13 blast, the visiting Israeli Minister on Wednesday reiterated that the Government of the Jewish country had deep conviction that it was the “long arm” of the regime in Iran that was behind the incident.

Israel wants India to lessen dependence on Iran

 

[Serpentine]

Who is Israel to want anything for India or any other country?They own U.S,isn't that enough?

 

[JohnyD]

not possible for India, if Isreal has any problem, they can take their decisions...we ve accepted Isreal despite it was the arch rival of many of Indias friendly countries...

 

[Yaduveer]

it is keen to offer New Delhi favourable terms both for partnership in production from its new-found natural gas reserves in Mediterranean Sea as well as for sale of the produce.

One thing which I like about Israeli does not only talk but they do. Rather than moral lecturing, they are willing to provide Gas with preferential terms. But Iran is too important to be deserted and it's just not only about Oil but geopolitics. Without Iran dream of getting central Asian natural resource through Afghanistan and Iran will remain dream only.

 

[VelocuR]

It is like US interfering its ally Pakistan's matters.

Same way for Israel bitching on its ally India against Iran issues, Iranian oil supplied to India for many years.

 

[joekrish]

There is a proverb in hindi, if I got it correct it goes something like this in english "the snake should also die dut the stick should also not break". I hope we find a way out of this.

 

[RazPaK]

There is a proverb in hindi, if I got it correct it goes something like this in english "the snake should also die dut the stick should also not break". I hope we find a way out .l this.

It's originally in Punjabi and goes likes this. "Saap vi marjaye, teh laati vi na tootay".

 

[Nelson]

It's originally in Punjabi and goes likes this. "Saap vi marjaye, teh laati vi na tootay".

Yes, the people of Pandora approve this.

 

[livingdead]

Well advice is free. We give sermons to them about how to live with palestine.
We can happily ignore their advice, the same way they do ours.

However if it is a pressure, it wont be appreciated by GoI, and infact can have opposite effect.

 

[Kaniska]

I beleive Israel should understand the position of India from broder perspective if it really wants to be a good friend of us in the long run. Long term beinifits are not measured based on short term incidents...Simillarly both Iran and Isreal should understand the situation of India in broder context...India donot have the luxury to choose between Iran and Isreal not because of oil as Oil can be easily supplied by Saudi Arab/Israel but the reason is something more than that. India is not a country like Iran who goes by Islamic nationhood and everything related to religious based politics..and simillarly Israel also always goes by Jews politics..But India can not accept and go by one country because India is nation conisting of both Muslim people as well as Christian people too...So having such a federal structure like India ...it is very very diffcult to make a judgemental call to side with any party...This is the bad and hard reality than Gov of India is facing right now..

 

[SamantK]

Landau knows that he can only nudge us to reduce our imports, Israel know how India's foreign policy does not allign with anyone just because someone wants to. There are irritants in any relationship, we have some and they have some. Iran has been and is a good friend of India and given India's stated policy against Iran for nuclear non-proliferation it should be enough for anyone. But if the hate is just realted based on history, excuse us we do not subscribe to anyone even US.

 

[PteX]

Tel Aviv wants to partner New Delhi to explore Mediterranean gas reserves

Oil and Iran aside, Jerusalem wants to partner New Delhi to explore Mediterranean gas reserves.

This newspaper would do well to remember the capital of the Jewish nation, which is Jerusalem and not Tel-Aviv.

 

[Jade]

Yes, India is in dire needs for hydrocarbons; however I see Israel and India as natural partners while India and Iran are not.

It is the question of how you balance energy needs to strategic relations.

 

[mastaan]

I guess it is about time that US and Israel realize that "only" zero sum games are not the answer to any and all diplomatic issues... No doubt, Iran is poking finger in their ezes and US perceives them as a threat... But, the same US is letting Assad and his crazy coteri kill hundreds of innocents in Syria... Hypocricy and double standards I say... No one gives anyone in US or US allies, the right to say who holds nuclear arsenal, when US & NATO is the only country & group, which has used the A-bomb in the history of civilization...

For Israel, my view is that it goes without saying that India values her relationship with Israel, respects their sentiments and I am sure that this mutual beneficial relation will strengthen only... The development of oil & gas fields in Mediterranian can not interlinked to gas and oil from Iran... hedging is India"s right and I don't think that Indian intends to surrender it

and, Israel and US must realize that India has her own requirements and historical linkages, which can not be and should not be snapped... In addition, at the end of the day, if everyone starts fighting and taking sides, who will play the peacemaker? I am sure that eventually conciliatory tones will come out... the last thing that the world needs is another messy war and a oil price shock...

 

[fallstuff]

There comes a point when someone says, " Can a rely on you ?"

T