Indian corporations Adani, Tata, Reliance, Infosys profit from Gaza’s blood by serving Israel: Report

Amid an international call on countries involved in dealing with Israel over its war, which has been called genocide, with the intention of ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, it has been revealed that Indian corporations and state-owned enterprises are delivering goods and services to Israel defence production, surveillance technology, agricultural projects, and infrastructure that are central to Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza and its settlement enterprise in the West Bank and Golan Heights.

This revelation comes in a report released by the Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) titled Profit and Genocide: Indian Investments in Israel, which examines India’s economic and strategic ties with Israel amid rising international criticism over civilian deaths and destruction in Gaza.

The report states that Indian companies are involved in sectors that “actively contribute to systems of surveillance, repression and displacement,” and highlights the defence sector as a key area of engagement.

It notes that India accounted for “40–45% of Israel’s total arms exports between 2016 and 2021, making it one of Israel’s largest defence customers,” and cites Adani-Elbit Advanced Systems India Ltd., a Hyderabad-based joint venture, which manufactures Hermes 900 drones that “have been used extensively in Gaza for surveillance and targeted strikes.”

The CFA report also points to Adani Ports’ $1.18 billion purchase of Haifa port in 2022, describing it as a facility that “serves as a base for the Israeli Navy’s submarine fleet, which supports military logistics,” while also functioning as Israel’s busiest commercial harbour.

In technology and infrastructure, major Indian firms, including Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, and Reliance Jio, are linked to projects that enable Israel’s surveillance and control over Palestinian populations.

The report specifically notes that TCS has been associated with Project Nimbus, a cloud-computing initiative involving Amazon and Microsoft, which has “drawn international criticism for enabling mass surveillance and predictive policing of Palestinians.”

In agriculture, the report highlights Indian companies supporting Israeli settlements, which are considered illegal under international law. Jain Irrigation’s subsidiary NaanDanJain is reported to supply “drip irrigation and water systems to settlements in the West Bank and Golan Heights,” while its 2022 merger with Rivulis, a firm linked to Israel’s defence and prison industries, further entrenches these connections.

The report also draws attention to India’s partnership with Mekorot, Israel’s national water company, which has been accused of “weaponising water” in Gaza by restricting access to safe drinking water, while implementing water projects in Indian states such as Karnataka.

Labour and employment ties are also noted, with the report stating that in 2023, “some 42,000 Indian construction and nursing workers were recruited to Israel after Palestinian work permits were suspended,” filling economic gaps once central to the Palestinian economy and deepening the effects of displacement.

The report underscores the contradiction between India’s historic support for Palestinian self-determination and its current strategic engagements with Israel, asserting that Indian corporations are not passive actors but “active participants in an economy sustained on occupation and conflict.”