Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has highlighted the growing closeness between India and Israel ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Israel on February 25–26, describing Modi as a “personal friend” and signalling plans to further expand bilateral cooperation across key sectors. The visit is expected to reinforce strategic ties that have steadily deepened over recent years.
Speaking before the upcoming trip, Netanyahu said the strengthening relationship reflects both expanding national interests and a strong personal rapport between the two leaders. He noted that India and Israel maintain frequent high-level engagement, including regular conversations and reciprocal visits, which have contributed to closer coordination between the two governments.
Netanyahu emphasised that discussions during the visit would focus on advancing cooperation in economic, diplomatic, and security domains. According to him, the partnership has evolved into a comprehensive relationship spanning multiple sectors, and the upcoming meetings are intended to translate that momentum into concrete policy decisions and joint initiatives. He described the bilateral relationship as a “tremendous alliance,” underscoring India’s global influence and strategic importance given its population size and growing economic and geopolitical weight.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit will mark his second trip to Israel and follows his landmark visit in July 2017 — the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister — which significantly reshaped bilateral relations and elevated ties to a strategic partnership. Since then, cooperation has expanded beyond traditional diplomatic engagement into areas such as technology, agriculture, innovation, water management, and defence.
Defence collaboration remains one of the central pillars of India–Israel relations. India is among Israel’s largest defence partners and has procured several advanced military systems over the years, including equipment such as the Spike anti-tank guided missile and other high-technology platforms. Security cooperation, intelligence sharing, and joint development initiatives are expected to feature prominently in discussions during the visit.
Netanyahu indicated that the meetings would aim to further institutionalise cooperation between the two countries at both governmental and broader state levels, reflecting a continued effort to deepen strategic alignment while expanding economic and diplomatic engagement. The visit is expected to reaffirm the trajectory of increasingly close India–Israel relations amid evolving regional and global geopolitical dynamics.
