Four G7 allies follow New Delhi’s blueprint in explosive pre-UNGA revolt
New York – Thirty-seven years after India’s prescient recognition of Palestinian statehood in 1988, the world is finally catching up with New Delhi’s diplomatic foresight, as Portugal joined the UK, Canada, and Australia in a stunning pre-UNGA revolt against American Middle East hegemony.
India, which recognized Palestine following its declaration of independence on November 18, 1988, now watches as its decades-old policy becomes the global template for resolving one of the world’s most intractable conflicts. What seemed like a bold Third World stance in the 1980s has evolved into mainstream Western diplomacy.
Portugal’s Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel announced Sunday that his country now officially recognizes Palestinian statehood, joining over 151 UN member nations – 78% of the global community – in following India’s pioneering path. “Recognizing the State of Palestine is the fulfilment of a fundamental, consistent policy,” Rangel declared ahead of the UN General Assembly.
This coordinated Western recognition represents a seismic shift from Washington’s traditional Middle East dominance. The UK’s Keir Starmer explicitly defied Donald Trump’s objections, while Canada’s Mark Carney launched scathing attacks on Israeli settlement policies, calling them violations of international law.
India’s balanced approach since 1988 – maintaining strong ties with both Israel (recognized in 1950, diplomatic relations established in 1992) and Palestine through its Ramallah Representative Office – has proven remarkably prescient. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal recently reaffirmed India’s consistent “Two-State Solution” support.
The timing is explosive: four G7-allied nations choosing UNGA week to break with US policy signals unprecedented Western rebellion. Netanyahu’s Israel now faces isolation from its closest allies, while India’s 37-year-old diplomatic wisdom becomes the new international consensus.
For India, this global shift presents enormous geopolitical dividends. New Delhi’s patient diplomacy now positions it as a credible mediator between warring parties, potentially elevating its role in future peace negotiations. The Western exodus from US Middle East policy creates space for India’s multi-alignment strategy to flourish, as traditional American allies seek alternative diplomatic frameworks. This vindication of India’s independent foreign policy approach strengthens its bid for permanent UN Security Council membership, demonstrating how principled non-alignment can shape global consensus decades later.
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