As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares to travel to Israel on his second visit to the country, a bigger question looms: Is New Delhi drawn to a new regional axis? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has unveiled a plan to build what he calls a “six-party” alliances in and around the Middle East, placing India among the main partners.
The proposal came days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins his two-day visit from February 25-26, during which he is scheduled to address the Knesset and hold talks on technological, trade and security cooperation. path Live updates of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Israel
What is the “six-party” plan?
Speaking at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu described India as a “global power” and Modi as a “personal” friend, saying: “We will create a whole system, which is basically a ‘hexagon’ of alliances around or within the Middle East.”
He specified that this would include “India, Arab countries, African countries, Mediterranean countries (Greece and Cyprus), and countries in Asia, the details of which I will not mention at the present time,” adding: “I will present this in an organized way.”
He said that the goal is to build “an axis of countries that agree with reality, challenges, and goals against extremist axes, whether the extremist Shiite axis, which we hit hard, and the emerging extremist Sunni axis.”
According to Netanyahu, all of these countries share a different vision, and their cooperation can lead to great results and, of course, ensure their steadfastness and future.
While this description is broadly consistent with the connectivity vision of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), Netanyahu presented it as a strategic and diplomatic alignment and not just an economic corridor.
There is no official endorsement yet
While Netanyahu has been extolling his plan, no government he appointed has publicly endorsed the proposal or its sectarian framing yet.
In fact, two of the countries he mentioned — Greece and Cyprus — are members of the International Criminal Court, which issued an arrest warrant against Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in Gaza. As members of the ICC, they would be legally obligated to act on this warrant if it entered their territory.
Netanyahu’s statements also sparked criticism in the region. The Pakistani Senate issued a resolution condemning Israel’s plan to form what it described as alliances targeting specific countries, the Pakistani News Agency reported.
The resolution, submitted by Senator Balwash Khan of the Pakistan Peoples Party, condemns “the continued provocative steps and statements of the Israeli leadership that threaten regional and international peace and stability, including the recent statement on forming alliances.”
It also condemned what it called “Israel’s blatant disregard for international law” and reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for the Palestinian cause.
Will India join the Hexagon?
It remains to be seen how India will ultimately respond. However, historically, New Delhi has avoided joining rigid geopolitical blocs, maintaining synchronized engagement with major powers including the United States, Russia and China, while also working to foster strong ties across West Asia.
On the other hand, India’s long-standing relations with Iran are also an obstacle. The Gulf region is also economically important, with millions of Indian workers sending large remittances.
Speaking about the possibility of India joining, Andreas Krieg, associate professor of security studies at King’s College London, told Al Jazeera that Netanyahu’s proposed alliance “risks intensifying regional polarization, giving Israel’s rivals (Iran, but also Turkey and others) an easy narrative of encirclement, and making some potential partners more cautious about being seen as too close to Israel.”
He added that India’s primary interests lie in defence, technology and trade and not in promoting Israel’s regional strategic vision. “The unnamed Arab/African/Asian element may exist in the form of ad hoc security coordination and transactional diplomacy, but not necessarily in a way that resembles a NATO-style charter or treaty,” Craig said. “It is not an alliance.”
He added: “I would treat the ‘hexa’ less as a workable alliance and more as a branding exercise for a set of existing relationships.”
What’s on Modi’s agenda?
During Modi’s visit, the two sides are expected to enhance cooperation in high-tech sectors. Netanyahu said they would enhance cooperation in “advanced technology, artificial intelligence and quantum computing.”
Modi is also scheduled to attend an innovation event in Jerusalem, visit the Yad Vashem museum with Netanyahu, and meet Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
Netanyahu stressed that bilateral relations have steadily deepened since Modi’s 2017 visit — the first by an Indian prime minister to Israel — which was followed by Netanyahu’s 2018 trip to India. He added: “In any case, one thing has happened: the fabric of this relationship has become tighter, and it comes here so that we can tighten it further through a series of decisions related to strengthening cooperation between our governments and countries,” noting that this includes “economic, diplomatic and security cooperation.”
