Hostile Homelands—The New Alliance Between India and Israel with Azad Essa (Episode 41)

In this episode, we speak with award-winning investigative journalist Azad Essa about his research on the evolving relationship between India and Israel. Our conversation explores the historical development and contemporary significance of this alliance, particularly in light of recent events in Gaza. Essa discusses how, despite growing grassroots pressure for India to implement an arms embargo against Israel, the Indian government has instead strengthened its military and financial ties with Israel. The discussion examines how the Hindutva political movement has played a significant role in supporting and expanding this partnership. Throughout the conversation, our guest analyzes the sociopolitical parallels between these two nations, exploring Essa's argument that India has adopted certain policies and practices reminiscent of Israel's approach to governance in occupied Palestinian territories. The discussion particularly focuses on questions of religious minorities, citizenship, and how nationalist movements shape domestic policies. This episode offers listeners a thoughtful examination of how geopolitical alliances intersect with questions of democracy, ethnonationalism, and religious identity in two of the world's most complex political environments. Recommended Reading Azad Essa, Hostile Homelands: The New Alliance Between India and Israel (Pluto Press 2022), available at https://www.amazon.com/Hostile-Homelands-Alliance-Between-Israel/dp/0745345018 . Center for Security, Race and Rights, Hindutva in America: A Threat to Equality and Religious Pluralism (2025), available at https://csrr.rutgers.edu/issues/hindutva-america. #India #Hindutva #Islamophobia #South Asians #Israel #Palestine Support the show Support the Center for Security, Race and Rights by following us and making a donation: Donate: https://give.rutgersfoundation.org/csrr-support/20046.html Subscribe to our Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEbUfYcWGZapBNYvCObiCpp3qtxgH_jFy Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rucsrr Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/rutgerscsrr Follow us on Threads: https://threads.com/rutgerscsrr Follow us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/rucsrr Follow us on TikTok: https://tiktok.com/rucsrr