Jerusalem – Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed gratitude to Israel for the “warmth and affection” shown during his two-day visit, noting that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara Netanyahu, personally came to the airport to bid him farewell. Modi conveyed his confidence that the partnership between India and Israel would continue to strengthen in the coming years.
The visit, concluding Thursday, resulted in the signing of 16 agreements aimed at deepening the strategic partnership between the two nations, covering areas such as cybersecurity, trade, space exploration, education, investment, agriculture, and economic cooperation. The agreements build upon a relationship that has steadily grown since the establishment of full diplomatic ties in 1992, when India opened an embassy in Tel Aviv and Israel reciprocated in New Delhi.
During a joint statement with Netanyahu, Modi announced that India and Israel would perform towards a free trade agreement and deepen cooperation in defense and artificial intelligence. He described the relationship as a “Special Strategic Partnership,” a designation reflecting the increasing alignment of interests between the two countries. Netanyahu echoed this sentiment, stating, “The future belongs to those who innovate and Israel and India are bent on innovation.”
Modi’s visit included a tour of Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial, and an address to the Knesset, where he condemned the October 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, stating, “We feel your pain. We share your grief. India stands with Israel, firmly, with full conviction, in this moment, and beyond.” India had previously condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with Israel, while too voicing concern over civilian casualties in Gaza and reaffirming its support for a two-state solution.
In addition to the broader agreements, Israel pledged to allow an additional 50,000 Indian workers into the country over the next five years, addressing labor shortages in construction and caregiving sectors, particularly following restrictions placed on Palestinian workers. India, in turn, will extend its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) digital payment system to Israel, aiming to boost digital finance cooperation.
The joint statement from the two leaders also included an unequivocal condemnation of terrorism and cross-border terrorism. Both countries are members of the I2U2 Group, formed in October 2021, a forum for cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The partnership between India and Israel has its roots in the 1990s, with Israel becoming a key ally to India amidst the India–Pakistan conflict, providing armaments, ammunition, and intelligence during the Indo-Pakistani Wars of 1971 and 1999.
Despite a historical vote against the United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine in 1947, India recognized Israeli sovereignty in 1950. Israel opened a consulate in Bombay (now Mumbai) in 1953, marking an early step in the gradual development of bilateral ties. The current visit has been viewed as a test of India’s foreign policy as it navigates relationships with Israel and other Middle Eastern nations.
