New Delhi [India], September 23 : Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) National Executive Member Indresh Kumar on Wednesday described India and Israel as lands of spirituality and brotherhood, while highlighting the religious and spiritual significance of both countries.
Addressing the 108th Haifa Victory Day celebration organised by Israel Embassy in India at Teen Murti Haifa Chowk in New Delhi, the RSS leader spoke about the respective historical and cultural traditions of both countries, adding that India and Israel are lands where different religions have emerged and flourished through distinct spiritual traditions.
"India and Israel are two lands with unique religious and spiritual dimensions. Within India, four world religions emerged from the lineage of the Ikshvaku dynasty: Sanatan Dharma, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism, along with their various branches. Similarly, the land of Jerusalem in Israel is regarded as the birthplace of three major world religions," Kumar said.
He said India's religious traditions and the Abrahamic faiths have distinct historical roots, adding that India's spiritual traditions spread through knowledge and character.
"Judaism did not expand beyond Israel, remaining confined to that region, whereas the other two expanded through the use of wealth, military might, and religious conversion. In contrast, India's Sanatan tradition spread across the globe through the power of knowledge and character, showing the world the path forward. It is for this reason—its wisdom, character, and spiritual austerity—that India is revered as Vishwaguru," Kumar said.
"Both India and Israel stand as lands of spirituality and brotherhood," he added.
The remarks came during the 108th Haifa Victory Day celebration, commemorated on September 23 each year by the Indian Army to honour the sacrifice of Indian cavalry soldiers who helped liberate Haifa from Ottoman rule during World War I.
On September 23, 1918, Indian cavalrymen led a historic charge that helped liberate the city of Haifa from Ottoman forces.
The Israel Embassy in India marked the occasion, highlighting the contribution and bravery of Indian cavalry soldiers.
"Today, on Haifa Day, we commemorated the bravery of Indian cavalry at Teen Murti Haifa Chowk in New Delhi - a memorial that itself stands as a reminder of their role in the Battle of Haifa. Their courage is remembered today, even after 108 years," the Israel Embassy in India said in a post on X.
The annual commemoration serves as a reminder of the role played by Indian cavalrymen in the Battle of Haifa and their contribution to the liberation of the city during World War I.