Haifa airport (Image source: ANI)
As tensions continue across the Middle East, the Port of Haifa is increasingly being viewed as a critical link in India’s growing strategic and economic engagement with the region.Located in a natural, protected bay in northeast Israel, the Haifa Port is one of Israel’s three major international seaports and handles the transportation of goods, cargo and tourists.Officially opened in 1933, the port has the capacity to handle nearly 30 million tonnes of cargo annually, including up to 1.5 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of shipping containers.Why Haifa Port matters to IndiaIn 2023, industrialist Gautam Adani met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the official handover ceremony of the Port of Haifa to the Adani Group. A consortium comprising Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) and Israel’s Gadot Group won the bid to privatise Haifa Port for USD 1.18 billion, with the Adani Group holding a 70 per cent stake in the consortium.The acquisition was widely viewed as one of India’s most significant overseas infrastructure investments and a major strategic move in West Asia.Reportedly, despite the uncertainty, operations at the port reportedly continue uninterrupted, highlighting its importance not only for Israel’s economy, but also for India’s long-term connectivity and trade ambitions.In March 2026, the Adani group, in a statement, said its Haifa port in Israel is fully secure and in operational condition amid heightened military conflict in Iran. Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone said all port assets and infrastructure are fully secure.Major exports between India and IsraelAs per the Embassy of India in Israel, while bilateral trade has traditionally been dominated by diamonds, petroleum products and chemicals, recent years have seen growing cooperation in sectors such as electronic machinery, high-tech products, communication systems and medical equipment.India also continues to remain a major focus country for Israel’s trade expansion efforts.1. India’s key exports to IsraelThis includes pearls and precious stones, automotive diesel, chemical and mineral products, machinery and electrical equipment, plastics, textiles and apparel, base metals, transport equipment and agricultural products.2. Israel’s major exports to IndiaThis includes diamonds and precious stones, chemicals and fertilisers, machinery and electrical equipment, petroleum oils, defence-related products and transport equipment.Can further escalation affect Israel’s trade with India For India, stability in the Middle East is directly tied to trade, energy security and regional connectivity.Port of Haifa is also expected to become one of the most important hubs in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).Under the proposed corridor, cargo from Indian ports would move by sea to the UAE and then travel through a railway network across West Asia before reaching Haifa, creating a faster trade route connecting India with Europe.Any prolonged conflict in the region could disrupt shipping routes, affect maritime movement and slow down strategic projects linked to the IMEC.Linked to India through historyIn 1918, Indian cavalry soldiers fought in the Battle of Haifa during World War I and helped liberate the city from Ottoman control.Haifa mattered strategically because of its port and railway connections. Capturing it would help Allied forces maintain supply routes while continuing their advance deeper into Ottoman territory.India also observes Haifa Day every year on September 23 to honour the Indian soldiers who participated in the battle.Statues and memorials linked to the Indian cavalry regiments exist in both countries, while Indian Army units tracing lineage to those regiments continue preserving the memory of the battle. Go to Source
