For decades, official relations between India and Israel were characterized by distance and diplomatic estrangement. However, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has undergone a profound awakening, shedding outdated ideological burdens that no longer served its national interest to make room for truth, strategic alignment, and genuine partnership. Yet, while diplomatic and defense ties have flourished at the state level, the history of international relations shows that the deepest bonds between peoples are ultimately forged not in conference rooms, but in raw, unscripted moments of human solidarity.Bonds between nations are truly sealed when citizens face the brink of death together. Moments of mortal peril possess a unique power to catalyze connections between societies for three fundamental reasons. First, they distill pure humanity: when facing immediate mortality, all national, religious, and political divides vanish. Second, they create an eternal moral debt: a nation whose citizen rescues another from death establishes a bond of honor that lasts for generations. Finally, they offer a narrative of hope, a living proof that even in the darkest hours, human solidarity can triumph over hatred.This fundamental truth was etched into history aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, when an attempted hijacked air disaster, what could have been the most tragic aviation catastrophe in Israel’s history, was averted through extraordinary bravery.At 34,000 feet, the plane, carrying nearly 180 passengers, became the target of a violent terrorist attack. Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot and former SpiceJet aviator with over 13 years of commercial flying experience, found himself fighting for control of the aircraft after being stabbed. Bleeding and under attack, Captain Machchhar he recited Hanuman Chalisa the equvant to Jewish Shema Yisrael to ask a divine protection in unreal situation.In a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following the incident, Captain Machchhar shared that in those harrowing moments, he simply realized that if he did not unlock the cockpit door, it would be the end for everyone on board. He held on to a single hope: that if he could muster one final effort to unlock the door, someone outside would step in. As he noted, he knew he had “one last push” left in him.That final push was met with immediate action. Israeli passengers, alongside two deadheading pilots, saw death at their doorstep and broke into the cockpit, neutralized the terrorist and secured the aircraft.Much like the civilian heroes of October 7th who rose up to rebuild a nation in the wake of systemic failure, ordinary people on that flight saved nearly 180 lives. This was not merely an Israeli story. It was a stark reminder that the war against terror is ultimately fought by ordinary citizens who bear the costs. Symbolically, the seamless cooperation between an Indian captain fighting with his last breath and Israeli passengers storming the cockpit serves as a metaphor for global hope: two ancient civilizations standing together to defend human dignity against jihadist terror.Given the complex national security challenges our countries continuously face, we at least know how to honor our heroes. For his valor, Captain Machchhar deserves India’s highest peacetime military decoration, the Ashoka Chakra. In recognition of this heroic act, Prime Minister Netanyahu invited Captain Machchhar to visit Israel and light a torch at the next national Independence Day ceremony, an honor reserved for those who embody exceptional bravery, civic devotion, or extraordinary service to the country and humanity.The relationship between Israelis and Indians has evolved dramatically in recent years. For decades, the average Israeli’s perception of India was shaped primarily by a handful of postmilitary backpackers returning from remote villages with stories of spiritual journeys. However, the period following October 7th revealed the true depth of this connection. As parts of Europe allowed centuries of latent antisemitism to resurface under new guises, millions of Indian citizens voluntarily took to digital spaces to defend Israel against coordinated influence operations from Iran, Qatar, and Turkey.No other nation understands the reality of living under the threat of Islamist terror better than India. Both countries recognize that terrorism often disguises itself with false justifications while inciting deadly violence against innocent civilians. Recently, when India experienced a brutal terrorist attack in Kashmir, an attack inspired by the tactics used on October 7th, which escalated regional tensions and led to India’s defensive response in Operation Sindoor, Israel stood firmly by India without any hesitation.The extraordinary rescue aboard the Flydubai flight was more than an act of professional duty, it reflected the indomitable spirit of two peoples bound by an unyielding faith in justice, truth, and the resolve to confront darkness together. India and Israel must realize that this joint struggle against terror may well be the “one last push” required before clarity and security are restored to the international order.Dr. Oshrit Birvadker is a senior national security analyst and the director of the South and East Asia Center at the Jerusalem Center for Strategy and Security (JISS).
Disclaimer: Views expressed above are the author’s own.