142 nations recognise Palestine as state: India did so in 1988; but is that support still firm?

Children sit in front of the house of deputy chief of the People's Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Jamil Mazhar, which was targeted in overnight Israeli strikes on Nusseirat in the Central Gaza Strip on August 12, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)

As France moves to formally recognise Palestine and pressure mounts on the UK to follow suit, India’s position on the issue draws renewed attention. A long-time supporter of Palestinian statehood, India has maintained diplomatic recognition since 1988, but its recent silence and growing ties with Israel reflect a careful balancing act between historic commitments and evolving strategic interests.

Historical support for Palestine

India was among the earliest non-Arab countries to support the Palestinian struggle. In 1974, India became the first non-Arab state to recognise the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) as the "sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people." In 1988, when the Palestinian National Council unilaterally declared the State of Palestine, India formally recognised it and established full diplomatic relations with the Palestinian Authority (PA) in 1989.

India also consistently voted in favour of pro-Palestine resolutions at the United Nations and supported Palestine’s admission as a full member of UNESCO in 2011. New Delhi has backed the two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of an independent Palestine coexisting peacefully with Israel.

Evolving ties with Israel and a shift in nuance

Since the early 1990s, particularly after the establishment of full diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992, India has increasingly deepened ties with Israel in defence, agriculture, cyber-security, and innovation. This growing partnership has led to a gradual recalibration of India’s posture on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

India has refrained from commenting on specific Israeli military actions in Gaza, often expressing “deep concern” over the loss of civilian lives on both sides and calling for restraint and dialogue.

India has strongly condemned the ongoing civilian deaths in Gaza, calling the resulting humanitarian crisis “simply unacceptable.” At the 10th UNGA Emergency Special Session on Palestine, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj, described the prolonged conflict and worsening humanitarian situation as deeply concerning, welcoming the UN Security Council’s Resolution 2728 as a “positive step.”

Kamboj reiterated India’s consistent stance: civilian casualties, especially of women and children, must stop, and international humanitarian law must be upheld. She also condemned the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, stating there can be “no justification for terrorism and hostage-taking,” and demanded the unconditional release of all hostages.

India called for an immediate scale-up of humanitarian aid to Gaza and urged all parties to facilitate relief efforts. Kamboj noted that India has sent humanitarian assistance to Palestine and welcomed Israel’s recent steps to allow more aid into Gaza.

Reiterating India’s stance on the two-state solution, Kamboj also urged the conflicting parties to engage in direct peace negotiations as soon as possible.

“My leadership has repeatedly emphasized that only a Two-State solution, achieved through direct and meaningful negotiations between both sides on final status issues, will deliver an enduring peace,” she said.

“India is committed to supporting a Two-State solution where the Palestinian people can live freely in an independent country within secure borders, with due regard to the security needs of Israel. To arrive at a lasting solution, we urge all parties to foster conditions conducive to resuming direct peace negotiations at an early date,” she added.

Additionally, India reaffirmed its support for Palestine’s bid for full UN membership and hoped the application would be reconsidered.

Countries that have recognised Palestine as a state

As of July 2025, at least 142 of the 193 UN member states have recognised Palestine as an independent state. This includes major countries across Asia such as India, China, Pakistan, and Indonesia; African nations like Egypt, South Africa, and Nigeria; and much of Latin America, including Brazil, Argentina, and Cuba. In Europe, Sweden (2014), Iceland (2011), and most recently France (2025) have extended recognition. All Arab League nations, along with Russia, Turkey, and Iran, also recognise Palestine.

However, key Western countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Canada, and Italy have not. These countries maintain that recognition should come only through a negotiated two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, not through unilateral moves.