Demonstrations were held outside several Reliance Trends outlets across India on Friday, as activists accused Reliance Industries and its chairman, Mukesh Ambani, of maintaining business ties with Israel amid its ongoing war on Gaza.
The protests were organised by Indian People in Solidarity with Palestine (IPSP), a citizens’ forum that campaigns to strengthen Palestinian solidarity initiatives in India. According to the organisers, demonstrations took place in Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Pune, among other cities.
IPSP said the mobilisations were part of its broader Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, aimed at pressuring corporations and institutions alleged to be complicit in Israel’s actions in Gaza. Several organisations joined the call for boycott, including Disha Students’ Organization, Naujawan Bharat Sabha, Revolutionary Workers’ Party of India, Stree Mukti League and the Delhi State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union. Protesters gathered in cities such as Rohtak and Chandigarh in addition to major metropolitan centres.
In a statement, IPSP alleged that Reliance Industries has maintained long-standing economic ties with Israeli companies since the 2000s. The group cited a 2024 joint venture between Reliance and Israeli apparel manufacturer Delta Galil as one example of what it described as economic collaboration that strengthens Israel’s economy.
The organisation also referred to Reliance’s reported engagements in Israel’s energy and telecom sectors, as well as its associations with policy and innovation platforms such as the Observer Research Foundation, Jerusalem Innovation Incubator, Israel Innovation Authority, OurCrowd and Yissum. According to IPSP, such partnerships have included investments in more than 100 Israeli start-ups.
Speaking at one of the demonstrations, Wishal, a member of IPSP, claimed that more than 71,000 Palestinians have been killed in the past two years, including a significant number of children. The activist further alleged that hundreds had been killed even after recent ceasefire announcements, and accused Israel of repeatedly violating ceasefire agreements since October 2023.
IPSP representatives also cited widespread destruction in Gaza, including damage to housing, schools and hospitals, and raised concerns about food insecurity and malnutrition among children. The group accused the United States and other Western governments of supporting Israel’s military campaign and called for greater public mobilisation against corporate and governmental complicity.
The protests in India mirror demonstrations in several countries, including Italy, the United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, the Netherlands and Germany, where pro-Palestine groups have organised rallies and strikes opposing their governments’ support for Israel.
Reliance Industries has not publicly responded to the protests at the time of publication.
