The external affairs ministry on Thursday reset India’s position on Palestine to the default mode of support for the two-state solution, making the course correction five days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s expression of solidarity with Israel following Saturday’s Hamas attack.

Asked about India’s position on Palestine at the weekly briefing, ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said: "Our policy in this regard has been longstanding and consistent. India has always advocated the resumption of direct negotiations towards establishing a sovereign, independent and viable state of Palestine living within secure and recognised borders, side by side at peace with Israel.”

Bagchi’s clarification marked the first time the ministry had spoken on the subject since the Prime Minister’s remarks, in which many saw a possible shift from India’s long-held position that had weathered several changes of government in New Delhi and the growing engagement with Israel.

On Saturday, Modi had set the cat among the pigeons by extending solidarity with Israel in the immediate aftermath of the Hamas attack in a statement that had warmed the cockles of the Right-wing ecosystem.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Modi had said: “Deeply shocked by the news of terrorist attacks in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with the innocent victims and their families. We stand in solidarity with Israel at this difficult hour.”

His second statement on the evolving situation in the Levant on Tuesday was seen by West Asia experts as an attempt to dial back the open support that was evident in his first post.

“I thank Prime Minister @netanyahu for his phone call and providing an update on the ongoing situation. People of India stand firmly with Israel in this difficult hour. India strongly and unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” Modi said in the second statement.

Career diplomat and West Asia expert Talmiz Ahmad had told this newspaper on Tuesday that the Prime Minister had attempted a course correction in his second post.

“The first post was a spontaneous expression of solidarity formulated in the initial shock. That has since been corrected in today’s post,” Ahmad said.

He explained that the formulation “strongly and unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations” can be found in almost every second joint statement.

“This is an innocuous remark. Who does not officially condemn terrorism?” Ahmad said.

On whether India had endorsed the calls to all concerned to exercise restraint, Bagchi said: “There is a universal obligation to observe international humanitarian law. There is also a global responsibility to fight the menace of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”

India’s first chartered flight ferrying Indians back from Israel was expected to land in Tel Aviv on Thursday night and return by Friday morning.

Bagchi said 230 people were likely to be accommodated on the flight and added that more flights would be arranged in keeping with demand.

As for bringing people back from Palestine, he said India had not received any request from Indians in the West Bank or Gaza.

According to the ministry, there are about a dozen Indians in the West Bank and three or four in Gaza.