MAINS Current Affairs includes India–Israel Relations: Bilateral Ties and the Situation in West Asia & Emissions Gap Report 2026

International Relations

1. India–Israel Relations: Bilateral Ties and the Situation in West Asia

Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed India–Israel bilateral relations and the prevailing situation in West Asia during a telephone conversation.

• The Israeli Prime Minister invited PM Modi and Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar to jointly light a torch on Israel’s Independence Day.

India–Israel Bilateral Relations and Evolving Ties

Diplomatic Relations

• 1950: India announced its recognition of Israel.
• 1992: Both countries established full diplomatic relations and opened regular embassies.
• 2017: India and Israel elevated their relationship to a Strategic Partnership.
• 2022–23: The two countries jointly commemorated 30 years of full diplomatic relations.

Defence and Security Cooperation

• Israel is a major supplier of advanced defence technologies to India.
• Key areas of cooperation include:
  • Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) radars.
  • Unmanned aerial vehicles and drones.
  • Missile systems.
  • Surveillance and other advanced security technologies.
• Defence cooperation remains one of the strongest pillars of the bilateral relationship.

Bilateral Trade

• India is Israel’s second-largest trading partner in Asia and its seventh-largest globally, according to the supplied source.
• Bilateral trade, excluding defence, stood at:

Investment Cooperation

• Israel’s direct foreign investment in India amounted to US$ 334.2 million between April 2000 and March 2024.
• More than 300 Israeli investments have been reported in India, particularly in:
  • High-technology industries.
  • Water management.

Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIA), 2025

• India and Israel signed a Bilateral Investment Agreement in 2025.
• The agreement replaces the earlier investment treaty signed in 1996, which was terminated in 2017 as part of India’s broader review of investment agreements.

Agriculture and Water Management

• 1993: The first Agreement on Cooperation in Agriculture was signed.
• 2006: A Comprehensive Work Plan on Agriculture was introduced, operating in three-year cycles and implemented through MASHAV, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation.
• 2025: A revised Agriculture Cooperation Agreement was signed to broaden cooperation.

Indo-Israeli Centres of Excellence (CoEs)

• These centres demonstrate Israeli technologies, expertise and innovation in horticulture.
• They facilitate the dissemination of improved agricultural practices and technologies.

Science, Technology and Innovation

• Bilateral science and technology cooperation is overseen by the Joint Committee on Science and Technology, established under the 1993 agreement on S&T cooperation.
• The India–Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund (I4F), worth US$ 40 million, supports joint research and innovation projects.

Cooperation in this domain complements collaboration in defence technology, agriculture, water management and other high-technology sectors.

Multilateral Cooperation: I2U2

• India and Israel are members of the I2U2 grouping, comprising India, Israel, the United States and the United Arab Emirates.
• Its areas of focus include:
  • Economic cooperation and investment.
  • Food and agricultural infrastructure, including food parks.
  • Space cooperation and space-based environmental tools.

Significance of India–Israel Relations for India

Defence and National Security

• Israel provides access to critical defence technologies and advanced security systems.
• Cooperation can support India’s defence modernisation, indigenous manufacturing and the objectives of Make in India and self-reliance in defence.

Agricultural Modernisation and Water Security

• Israel’s experience in water conservation, agricultural innovation and high-yield farming offers opportunities for India.
• Technology collaboration can help improve agricultural productivity and strengthen the efficient use of water resources.

Strategic and Geopolitical Importance

• Israel is an important strategic partner for India in West Asia.
• The relationship complements India’s Act West Policy and strengthens its engagement with the region.

Innovation and Economic Cooperation

• Collaboration in research, high technology and start-ups can promote innovation and investment.
• Cooperation through I2U2 creates additional opportunities in food security, space applications and economic development.

Way Forward

• Deepen defence cooperation: Expand collaboration in critical technologies, indigenous manufacturing and defence innovation.
• Strengthen agricultural partnerships: Scale up Indo-Israeli Centres of Excellence and promote water-efficient farming practices.
• Expand research and innovation: Encourage joint R&D, start-ups and technology commercialisation.
• Diversify economic engagement: Explore further opportunities in trade, investment, food security and space-based applications.
• Maintain strategic engagement: Continue high-level dialogue and coordinate on regional developments while safeguarding India’s broader interests in West Asia.

Conclusion

India–Israel relations constitute a multidimensional strategic partnership spanning defence, agriculture, water management, science and technology, investment and trade. While defence and agriculture remain central pillars, expanding cooperation in innovation, food security and I2U2 initiatives can further strengthen the relationship and support India’s technological and strategic objectives.

Environment

2. Emissions Gap Report 2026

Context: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has released the Emissions Gap Report 2026, highlighting the gap between projected global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under existing national commitments and the emission reductions required to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

About the Emissions Gap Report

• Released by: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
• Frequency: Published annually ahead of international climate negotiations.
• Objective: To assess the difference between expected global emissions under countries’ existing commitments and the emissions pathway required to meet the 1.5°C climate target.
• Assessment mechanism: The report examines countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), which are required to be updated every five years.
• Purpose: To estimate potential global warming if national climate plans are fully implemented and identify measures to close the emissions gap.

 Major Highlights of the Report

Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions

• Global GHG emissions in 2025 remained broadly unchanged from 2024.
• Total emissions stood at approximately 4 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.

Major Sources of Emissions

• More than two-thirds of global GHG emissions originate from fossil-fuel sources.
• The remaining emissions include:
  • CO₂ from land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF).
  • Methane (CH₄).
  • Nitrous oxide (N₂O).
  • Fluorinated gases (F-gases).

Emission Trends in 2025

• Emissions of CO₂ from the combustion of coal, oil and natural gas continued to increase.
• Nitrous oxide and fluorinated gas emissions also increased.
• Methane emissions remained approximately at their 2024 levels.

Contribution of the G20

• G20 members, excluding the African Union, collectively accounted for 76% of global emissions.
• This highlights the importance of major economies in achieving substantial global emission reductions.

Outlook for the 1.5°C Target

• According to the report, the 5°C target is now considered completely out of reach.
• The best achievable outcome, as described in the supplied report summary, is to limit global warming to approximately 8°C.
• The 1.5°C target is a central objective of the 2015 Paris Agreement, referring to limiting long-term global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels (1850–1900).

India-Specific Findings

• India is the world’s third-largest greenhouse gas emitter.
• However, its per-capita emissions are significantly lower than those of the two largest emitters.
• This distinction is important when assessing national emissions alongside population size and development needs.

Major Concerns

Increasing Climate Risks

• Every additional fraction of a degree of warming, and every additional year of warming above 1.5°C, increases the risks associated with climate change.
• These include:
  • Deadly floods.
  • Extreme heatwaves.
  • Greater pressure on ecosystems and vulnerable communities.

Persistent Emissions Gap

• Global emissions remain far above the levels required to achieve the 1.5°C pathway.
• Existing national commitments and their implementation are insufficient to deliver the necessary reductions.
• Continued emissions growth in key sectors makes rapid and sustained mitigation increasingly important.

Recommendations of the Report

To establish a pathway back towards the 1.5°C target, global GHG emissions must decline substantially from their 2025 levels.

These reductions would require accelerated climate action and stronger implementation of emission-reduction commitments.

Way Forward

• Strengthen NDCs: Countries should adopt ambitious, credible and measurable climate commitments.
• Accelerate the energy transition: Reduce dependence on fossil fuels and expand low-carbon energy systems.
• Improve implementation: Translate national climate pledges into sector-specific policies and verifiable emission reductions.
• Enhance international cooperation: Major economies should cooperate on climate finance, technology transfer and capacity-building.
• Promote sustainable land use: Address emissions associated with land-use change and forestry alongside energy-related emissions.
• Strengthen climate resilience: Pursue mitigation and adaptation together to reduce the impacts of unavoidable warming.

Conclusion

The Emissions Gap Report 2026 underscores the widening challenge of aligning global emissions with the goals of the Paris Agreement. With emissions remaining around 58.4 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent, rapid and sustained reductions are essential. Stronger national commitments, effective implementation and international cooperation are critical to limiting future warming and reducing climate-related risks.

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