India’s Gen Z sees Israel as key defence partner, survey claims

Israel is emerging as a prominent defence and diplomatic partner in the eyes of young Indians, with a new survey pointing to changing perceptions among Gen Z about the countries that play an important role in India’s strategic relationships.

A pan-India survey of respondents aged 18-29 found that 52% considered India-Israel defence ties to be robust, putting Israel third alongside countries including Russia. France followed at 51%, while the US was at 46%, according to a PTI report citing the India Israel Centre.

The survey was released on September 16 and was conducted using an AI-assisted digital research platform.


The findings also showed Israel gaining ground in perceptions of India’s diplomatic partnerships. Around 41% of respondents placed Israel among India’s key diplomatic partners, ahead of the US at 39%, PTI reported. The India Israel Centre did not disclose the other countries that occupied the top positions in the diplomatic and defence rankings.

The survey points to what the India Israel Centre described as a “perceptible recalibration in generational awareness”, with younger Indians increasingly familiar with Israel’s role in India’s defence and technology ecosystem.

Defence ties shape Gen Z’s view of Israel

According to the India Israel Centre, defence and technological innovation are among the main factors shaping young Indians’ perceptions of the bilateral relationship. Israel’s defence rating rose five percentage points from the previous year, the centre said.

The shift is also being linked by the centre to greater visibility of India-Israel defence cooperation through cultural narratives, pop culture and podcasts. It said these channels have highlighted Israel’s role in providing emergency laser-guided munitions and surveillance support to Indian armed forces during the Kargil conflict.

A substantial part of Gen Z was born after the 1999 Kargil war, the centre noted, suggesting that their understanding of India’s traditional defence partnerships has been shaped by a different information environment.

“The encouraging survey results are a powerful reflection of the deep-rooted trust and affection between the people of India and Israel,” India Israel Centre spokesperson Suresh Nakhua said.

He said the findings also reflected “growing public awareness and appreciation” of the bilateral relationship.

Younger Indians show interest in closer ties

The survey found that the 22-25 age group was the most receptive to stronger India-Israel cooperation, according to the India Israel Centre. It also claimed a fourfold increase in respondents advocating substantially stronger future bilateral ties.

The latest findings build on an earlier India Israel Centre survey of 500 urban Indians aged 18-29, which found that 48% primarily associated Israel with defence and military strength, while 35% linked the country with innovation and technology. That study also found that 41% favoured deeper India-Israel ties.

The centre’s September study similarly argues that Israel has a strong position in the perceptions of young Indians, particularly on defence cooperation, while support for deepening the relationship is higher than its current prominence.

The survey results, however, represent perceptions captured by the India Israel Centre’s research and should be read in that context. The centre describes itself as an independent forum focused on academic and policy research on India-Israel relations and is established in academic partnership with the Centre for Israel Studies at O.P. Jindal Global University.