The Israel visit marked the culmination of 25 years of steadily warming relations, since the Narasimha Rao government upgraded diplomatic representation to the Ambassadorial level, after more than four decades of dealing with each other through consuls.

Mr Modi’s decision to skip the Palestinian territories, which visiting Indians had invariably clubbed together with any visit to Israel, suggested that the relationship with Tel Aviv had reached a level of maturity that indicated it could stand on its own feet.

As a country that had long been allergic to foreigners “hyphenating” us with Pakistan in their own travel itineraries, India decided to decouple Israel and Palestine as well in a sign of self-confidence.

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