Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay a two-day visit to Israel starting Wednesday to boost bilateral defense and trade cooperation amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East including deteriorating US-Iran relations.
Modi’s meetings will include a speech before the Israeli parliament, wide-ranging talks with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and a meeting with President Isaac Herzog.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “This visit will reaffirm the deep and long-term strategic partnership between the two countries and will provide an opportunity to review common challenges as well as realign efforts toward achieving their shared vision of a strong partnership between two resilient democracies.”
It is learned that enhancing comprehensive defense and security cooperation will be a key area of discussions during the delegation-level talks between the two prime ministers on Thursday.
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Netanyahu is scheduled to host a private dinner for Modi on Wednesday evening.
This will be Modi’s second visit to Israel in nine years. The India-Israel relationship was elevated to the level of a strategic partnership during Modi’s first visit to that country in July 2017.
Netanyahu had paid a return visit to India in January 2018. India and Israel share a strong strategic partnership with strong cooperation in the areas of science, technology, innovation, defence, security, trade, investment, agriculture, water and people-to-people relations.
“The two leaders will review the significant progress made in the India-Israel strategic partnership, and discuss further opportunities in various areas of cooperation, including science, technology and innovation, defence, security, agriculture, water management, trade, economics and people-to-people exchanges,” the agency said in a statement.
The leaders are also expected to exchange views on regional and global issues of common interest.
During their talks, the two prime ministers are likely to discuss the prevailing situation in the Middle East, including Gaza.
Following the outbreak of the Israeli-Iranian conflict last June, Netanyahu and Modi spoke twice on the phone.
On October 9, Modi called Netanyahu and congratulated him on the progress made under President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan.
India-Israel relations have improved in the past few years, including in the areas of defence, scientific research, cybersecurity and innovation.
Defense cooperation has emerged as an important pillar of the partnership between the two sides as Israel supplies India with a large number of military platforms and weapons systems.
Last November, during the Indian Defense Minister’s visit to Israel, an important agreement on defense cooperation was signed.
While India is looking to develop an indigenous air defense shield called Sudarshan Chakra, New Delhi is learned to want to explore the possibility of integrating certain elements of Israel’s Iron Dome all-weather air defense system, which can intercept and destroy missiles and artillery shells.
Trade and investment relations between the two sides are also witnessing steady progress.
During Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s visit to Israel in November, the terms of reference for launching the FTA negotiations between India and Israel were signed.
In September, the two sides signed a bilateral investment agreement to expand economic cooperation.
People-to-people relations between the two countries are also an important aspect of the overall relationship with over 41,000 members of the Indian diaspora playing a key role in the bilateral engagement.
In November 2023, India and Israel signed a bilateral framework agreement to facilitate temporary and legal employment of Indian workers in Israel.
Since then, 20,000 Indians have arrived in Israel, either via the government-to-government route or through private channels, according to officials.
