There is a significant community of Indians in Israel doing white-collar jobs mainly working in the industrial sector; some have started their own businesses. They are mostly members of mixed families, more specifically, Halachically non-Jewish members of Jewish households living in Israel. The Indian migrants work in sectors of the Israel economy such as construction, manufacturing and the service sector. Most Indian migrants come from places such Ernakulam, Mala, Parur, Chennamangalam and Cochin.[1] Around 85,000 Indians in Israel are Indian Jews.[2]
In May 2023, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen agreed to a foreign worker deal with Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar, in which India would send 42,000 workers predominantly in the construction field, to Israel.[3] The bilateral agreement reached the full Knesset for a vote on its approval in November 2023.[4]
In the aftermath of the
2023 Israel–Hamas war, Israeli business groups in October 2023, including The Israel Builders Association, have urged the Israeli government to hire up to 100,000 Indian workers to replace Palestinians who had their work permits cancelled due to the war.[5][6]
