A crisis in relations with India has been averted by Israel putting a stop to all efforts to convert and bring here about 7,000 Indian citizens, Foreign Ministry official Amos Nadai said Tuesday.

Nadai, who appeared before the Knesset Immigration Absorption Committee, said India had expressed concern with attempts by rabbis to aggressively convert Indian citizens, known as Bnei Menashe...

...this government is less friendly than the previous government. There is no partner to talk to."

Diplomatic relations between Israel and India have worsened after the recent change of Indian governments, he said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh came to power last year when his Congress Party defeated Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which had maintained close and public ties with Israel.

In recent weeks Israeli diplomats have reported a cooling of political ties between the two countries, and an attempt by India to lower the profile of its ties with Israel. Diplomatic officials described a meeting Singh had with Jewish leaders in New York at the UN General Assembly meeting in September as "less friendly than in the past."...

...Freund said that India issues special "missionary visas" to church officials. Therefore, he said, it was unclear why India opposes Israeli conversion activities.

"Just as the Vatican, just as many other religious movements send religious officials to India to engage in religious activity, so too should we be allowed to help Bnei Menashe to return to their people," he said, adding that he was in contact with Indian officials who assured him that there were no constitutional obstacles.

"India is a country of freedom and democracy. We have never encountered any difficulties with our activities there, either from the Indian government or from the local state governments of Mizoram or Manipur...