Takshashila Internal Conference on Assessing the Impact of Israel-Palestine Conflict
Takshashila Institution held an internal conference on Assessing the Impact of Israel-Palestine Conflict on November 29, 2023. Aditya Ramanathan, Associate Fellow, Advanced Military Technologies programme chaired the panel. Manoj Kewalramani, Satya Sahu, Sarthak Pradhan, Shambhavi Naik, and Yusuf Unjhawala presented their papers.
The first one was on China’s response to the Israel-Hamas war following the latter’s October 7, 2023, attack. It discussed China’s crisis diplomacy and provides an assessment of the interests and risks that are driving Beijing’s engagement in the region.
The second paper was an appraisal of the potential techno-economic risks for India by considering four possible scenarios that could unfold over 2024. These scenarios are not meant to be forecasts, and actual outcomes may comprise elements from more than one of those outlined. Instead, the scenarios considered are meant to assess the risks in terms of probability and impact. The scenarios also help us identify enduring trends and interests that inform India’s diplomatic approach to West Asia.
The third paper was on the impact of the Israel-Hamas war on the bioeconomy. Israel has a mature biotechnology ecosystem marked by a strong international presence. Its institutions are involved in both research and development (R&D) and manufacturing of bio-based products, majorly targeting the US and European markets. The ongoing Israeli conflict with Hamas has had a limited impact on operations within the biotechnology sector. If the war ends, the biotechnology industry will likely resume operations to pre-conflict levels. However, if it continues for a long time, the confidence of foreign investors and companies will likely diminish. This could stall the progress of the biotechnology sector in Israel. However, this could create an opportunity for India to attract these companies to set up facilities within India.
The final paper presented an assessment of India’s position on the conflict. It discussed India’s diplomatic signals, humanitarian aid efforts and concluded that India’s position on the Israel-Palestine issue has remained unchanged, while condemning acts of terrorism.
