Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel on Wednesday, receiving a red-carpet welcome from his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara at Ben Gurion Airport. This marks PM Modi’s second visit to Israel in nine years, following his first trip in July 2017, when the India-Israel relationship was elevated to a strategic partnership. Netanyahu greeted Modi with a warm hug before the Indian leader was accorded a full ceremonial welcome at the airport, located 20 kilometres southeast of Tel Aviv.
During his visit, PM Modi is scheduled to address the Israeli parliament and hold a one-on-one meeting with Netanyahu, with wide-ranging talks planned for Thursday. Ahead of his departure, Modi expressed confidence that the visit would strengthen the enduring ties between India and Israel, and set fresh objectives for their strategic partnership. “India and Israel share a robust and multifaceted strategic partnership that has witnessed remarkable growth and dynamism in recent years,” he said.
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He added that discussions with Netanyahu would focus on enhancing cooperation across science and technology, innovation, agriculture, water management, defence and security, trade and investment, and people-to-people links. PM Modi also noted that he and Netanyahu would exchange views on regional and global issues of shared concern. “I am confident that my state visit will further consolidate the enduring bonds between the two countries, set new goals for the strategic partnership, and advance our shared vision for a resilient, innovative and prosperous future,” he said.
The visit comes amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, including strained US-Iran relations, giving it added significance. Bilateral ties between India and Israel have strengthened in recent years in defence, scientific research, cybersecurity and innovation. Defence cooperation remains a central pillar, with Israel supplying a wide range of military platforms and weapon systems to India.
Last November, during the visit of India’s defence secretary to Israel, an important defence cooperation agreement was signed. India is also exploring the possibility of incorporating elements of Israel’s Iron Dome into its indigenous air defence shield project, Sudarshan Chakra.
Trade and investment relations have also been progressing steadily. In November, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal signed the terms of reference for launching Free Trade Agreement negotiations between the two nations. In September, both sides inked a Bilateral Investment Agreement to expand economic cooperation. People-to-people ties form another crucial component of bilateral engagement, with the Indian diaspora in Israel numbering over 41,000 and playing a key role in fostering connections between the two countries.
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