Analysis of the Role of Official Development Assistance (ODA) as a Soft Power in Intelligence Perspective, Case Study: Agricultural Technical Assistance Provision by MASHAV to India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25139/jkp.v9i2.11824Keywords:
ODA; MASHAV; soft power; strategic intelligence; Israel–IndiaAbstract
This study analyzes the role of Israel's Official Development Assistance (ODA) through the MASHAV institution as an instrument of soft power and strategic intelligence in building influence over India through agricultural technical cooperation. Since the two countries' official diplomatic relations opened in 1992, Israel has used technology transfer-based assistance and agricultural training as an effective non-military diplomacy strategy to strengthen strategic trust and shift India's political orientation from support for Palestine to a pragmatic partnership with Israel. This study found that ODA doubles as a tool of development and political mobilization through the reciprocation method, creating positive dependency and strategic alliances that benefit both parties. The results show that the MASHAV-India cooperation has not only significantly increased agricultural productivity, but has also shaped bilateral relations that have now developed into a comprehensive strategic partnership, making ODA an effective instrument in Israel's smart diplomacy and geopolitical influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
References
Bhatt, V. (2021). Israel’s Cooperation on Water Management and Stimulation in the Indian Agrarian Sector Owing to Modernisation: A Study of Rajasthan. The Journal of Oriental Research Madras. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/372395376
Brown, S., & Grävingholt, J. (2016). Security, Development and the Securitization of Foreign Aid. In S. Brown & J. Grävingholt (Eds.), The Securitization of Foreign Aid (pp. 1–17). Palgrave Macmillan UK. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-56882-3_1
Burket, R. (2013). An Alternative Framework for Agent Recruitment: From MICE to RASCLS. Studies in Intelligence, 57(2), 7–17.
Cialdini, R. B. (2009). Influence, the Psychology of Persuasion. Harpercollins.
Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches, 3rd ed. In Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches, 3rd ed. Sage Publications, Inc.
Dar, Z. A., & Malik, F. A. (2024). Sky Is the Limit: Examining the Evolution of Indo-Israel Defence Relations. Advances in Sciences and Humanities, 10(3), 33–38. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ash.20241003.11
Faleiro, E. (2018). India–Israel Relations. World Affairs: The Journal of International Issues, 22(1), 170–172. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48520056
Gulati, A., & Juneja, R. (2021). Innovations in Production Technologies in India. In A. Gulati, Y. Zhou, J. Huang, A. Tal, & R. Juneja (Eds.), From Food Scarcity to Surplus: Innovations in Indian, Chinese and Israeli Agriculture (pp. 23–82). Springer Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9484-7_3
Hallahan, K., Holtzhausen, D., van Ruler, B., Verčič, D., & Sriramesh, K. (2007). Defining Strategic Communication. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 1(1), 3–35. https://doi.org/10.1080/15531180701285244
Inbar, E. (2017). Israel and India: Looking Back and Ahead. Strategic Analysis, 41, 369–383. https://doi.org/10.1080/09700161.2017.1330450
Kent, S. (1949). Strategic Intelligence for American World Policy. Princeton University Press.
Lee, S. (2020). Strategic Psychological Operations Capability Development: Why Is It Taking So Long? Naval Postgraduate School.
Linebarger, P. M. A. (1948). Psychological warfare. In Psychological warfare. Infantry Journal Press.
Oded, A. (2009, October 26). Fifty years of MASHAV activity. Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs.
Roy, A. S. (2021). Shalom-Namaste: A Tale of Ties. SSRN .
Saronto, Y. W. (2018). Intelijen: Teori Intelijen dan Pembangunan Jaringan. ANDI.
Sathian. (2024). INDIA-ISRAEL RELATIONS IN THE POST- COLD WAR ERA; AN ANLYTICAL STUDY. University of Calicut.
Scheer, S. (2025, June 8). Israel eyes deeper economic ties with India, finalising investment protection deal. Reuters.
Seon-u JI and LIM, S. S. (2018). An empirical analysis of the determinants of agricultural official development assistance. Agricultural Economics, 64(5), 206–215. https://doi.org/10.17221/275/2016-AGRICECON
Shah, M. A. (2025). India’s Israel-palestine policy: from solidarity with palestinian to reciprocity with Israel. Asian Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/25765949.2025.2553256
Sharma, A., & Bing, D. (2015). India–Israel relations: the evolving partnership. Israel Affairs, 21(4), 620–632. https://doi.org/10.1080/13537121.2015.1076189
Sharma, R. (2023, October 13). How Israel stood as India’s brother in arms, India Today. India Today. https://www.indiatoday.in/history-of-it/story/india-israel-relations-modi-netanyahu-hamas-palestine-nehru-gandhi-arafat-2448244-2023-10-13
Sivakumar, Saimon, R., & Rakhil. (2023). The Impact of Changing Domestic Politics on Indo-Israel Relations. SATRAACHEE UGC Care Enlisted, Peer Reviewed Research Journal, 40(28).
Tanchum, M. (2022, July 27). The India-Middle East Food Corridor: How the UAE, Israel, and India are forging a new inter-regional supply chain. Middle East Institute. https://www.mei.edu/publications/india-middle-east-food-corridor-how-uae-israel-and-india-are-forging-new-inter
Brown, S., & Grävingholt, J. (2016). Security, Development and the Securitization of Foreign Aid. In S. Brown & J. Grävingholt (Eds.), The Securitization of Foreign Aid (pp. 1–17). Palgrave Macmillan UK. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-56882-3_1
Burket, R. (2013). An Alternative Framework for Agent Recruitment: From MICE to RASCLS. Studies in Intelligence, 57(2), 7–17.
Cialdini, R. B. (2009). Influence, the Psychology of Persuasion. Harpercollins.
Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches, 3rd ed. In Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches, 3rd ed. Sage Publications, Inc.
Dar, Z. A., & Malik, F. A. (2024). Sky Is the Limit: Examining the Evolution of Indo-Israel Defence Relations. Advances in Sciences and Humanities, 10(3), 33–38. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ash.20241003.11
Faleiro, E. (2018). India–Israel Relations. World Affairs: The Journal of International Issues, 22(1), 170–172. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48520056
Gulati, A., & Juneja, R. (2021). Innovations in Production Technologies in India. In A. Gulati, Y. Zhou, J. Huang, A. Tal, & R. Juneja (Eds.), From Food Scarcity to Surplus: Innovations in Indian, Chinese and Israeli Agriculture (pp. 23–82). Springer Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-9484-7_3
Hallahan, K., Holtzhausen, D., van Ruler, B., Verčič, D., & Sriramesh, K. (2007). Defining Strategic Communication. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 1(1), 3–35. https://doi.org/10.1080/15531180701285244
Inbar, E. (2017). Israel and India: Looking Back and Ahead. Strategic Analysis, 41, 369–383. https://doi.org/10.1080/09700161.2017.1330450
Kent, S. (1949). Strategic Intelligence for American World Policy. Princeton University Press.
Lee, S. (2020). Strategic Psychological Operations Capability Development: Why Is It Taking So Long? Naval Postgraduate School.
Linebarger, P. M. A. (1948). Psychological warfare. In Psychological warfare. Infantry Journal Press.
Oded, A. (2009, October 26). Fifty years of MASHAV activity. Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs.
Roy, A. S. (2021). Shalom-Namaste: A Tale of Ties. SSRN .
Saronto, Y. W. (2018). Intelijen: Teori Intelijen dan Pembangunan Jaringan. ANDI.
Sathian. (2024). INDIA-ISRAEL RELATIONS IN THE POST- COLD WAR ERA; AN ANLYTICAL STUDY. University of Calicut.
Scheer, S. (2025, June 8). Israel eyes deeper economic ties with India, finalising investment protection deal. Reuters.
Seon-u JI and LIM, S. S. (2018). An empirical analysis of the determinants of agricultural official development assistance. Agricultural Economics, 64(5), 206–215. https://doi.org/10.17221/275/2016-AGRICECON
Shah, M. A. (2025). India’s Israel-palestine policy: from solidarity with palestinian to reciprocity with Israel. Asian Journal of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/25765949.2025.2553256
Sharma, A., & Bing, D. (2015). India–Israel relations: the evolving partnership. Israel Affairs, 21(4), 620–632. https://doi.org/10.1080/13537121.2015.1076189
Sharma, R. (2023, October 13). How Israel stood as India’s brother in arms, India Today. India Today. https://www.indiatoday.in/history-of-it/story/india-israel-relations-modi-netanyahu-hamas-palestine-nehru-gandhi-arafat-2448244-2023-10-13
Sivakumar, Saimon, R., & Rakhil. (2023). The Impact of Changing Domestic Politics on Indo-Israel Relations. SATRAACHEE UGC Care Enlisted, Peer Reviewed Research Journal, 40(28).
Tanchum, M. (2022, July 27). The India-Middle East Food Corridor: How the UAE, Israel, and India are forging a new inter-regional supply chain. Middle East Institute. https://www.mei.edu/publications/india-middle-east-food-corridor-how-uae-israel-and-india-are-forging-new-inter
Downloads
Published
2025-12-31
How to Cite
Yudha, G. P. ., Ken Bimo Sultoni Adisiswanto, & Dendy Lisna Wansyah. (2025). Analysis of the Role of Official Development Assistance (ODA) as a Soft Power in Intelligence Perspective, Case Study: Agricultural Technical Assistance Provision by MASHAV to India. Jurnal Komunikasi Profesional, 9(2), 114–125. https://doi.org/10.25139/jkp.v9i2.11824
Issue
Section
Articles
License
Jurnal Komunikasi Profesional is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Â
Â
1. Proposed Policy for Journals That Offer Open Access
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
2. Proposed Policy for Journals That Offer Delayed Open Access
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication, with the work [SPECIFY PERIOD OF TIME] after publication simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
