After their army service, young Israelis are traveling to India in droves. Many who visit come back home with delightful stories and memories of their time in South Africa. Now, their parents are visiting with tour groups that feature luxurious budgets. They’ve heard so much about India, and now they’re seeing it all firsthand. Air India has already run a three-times-a-week flight from Delhi to Tel Aviv, which was started in the last year. To get to Israel in seven hours and ten minutes, it was given clearance to fly over Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. El Al, Israel’s national carrier, makes a trip from Mumbai to Israel, which takes just over the same amount of time (but includes two long routes).
Extensive economic, military and strategic relations have been established between India and Israel. There is a rising number of Indian workers, businessmen, students, and caregivers going to Israel for their work or school. Despite the growing cultural familiarity, Indians don’t feel familiar with Israel. Nevertheless, Israel views India very differently. I was shocked to discover that in Israel, where people love their television, Zee TV, a channel beloved by both Israeli and Arab households, is extremely popular. Israeli variants of Bollywood dance and music are incredibly popular now and have reached the point of going mainstream. Every year, a large audience comes to see a Bollywood show in Tel Aviv. There were numerous celebrities in attendance at the event last year, including stars like Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, and Shilpa Shetty.
Source: https://www.telegraphindia.com/opinion/india-has-become-part-of-israel-s-cultural-mix/cid/1684407
