INDIA's Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel on Wednesday for a two-day visit aimed at strengthening cooperation between the two countries. The trip has drawn criticism at home.
This is Modi’s second visit to Israel as prime minister. He is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog.
“Our nations share a robust and multifaceted strategic partnership,” Modi said in a statement before leaving New Delhi. He added that he will address the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, later on Thursday.
“Ties have significantly strengthened in the last few years.”
India has expanded cooperation with Israel in defence, agriculture, technology and cybersecurity, while maintaining diplomatic interests in the Middle East.
Talks began in New Delhi on Monday for an India-Israel Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the government said in a statement. It noted that merchandise trade reached $3.62 billion in 2024-2025.
Modi said he would hold talks with Netanyahu to “discuss ways to strengthen cooperation”.
Full diplomatic relations between India and Israel were established in 1992. Ties deepened after Modi took office in 2014.
Modi first visited Israel as prime minister in 2017. Netanyahu made a visit to India the following year.
Both leaders have called each other a “friend”.
In September 2023, plans were announced in New Delhi for the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor to link railways, ports, electricity, data networks and pipelines, including through Saudi Arabia and Israel.
The plans were stalled after Hamas carried out its October 7 attack on Israel, which responded with war in the Gaza Strip.
‘Shock and horror’
“What happened on October 7 was received in India with shock and horror, which is why the support for Israel was quick, instantaneous, and enormous,” said Ashok Malik, head of New Delhi-based strategic advisory firm The Asia Group.
He said India-Israel ties, which Modi is “taking forward with this visit”, are not only based on alignment on issues such as terrorism.
“Israel has a lot to contribute in terms of innovation technology, including agriculture, technology, and economic partnerships and of course defence... This is quite independent of the Palestinian issue,” Malik said.
Months after his 2017 visit to Israel, Modi travelled to Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority.
His current visit has drawn criticism in India.
Senior Congress party leader Priyanka Gandhi, sister of opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, wrote on social media on Wednesday that she hoped Modi would mention the killing of “thousands of innocent men, women and children in Gaza” when he addresses Israel’s parliament.
India has a population of 1.4 billion people and is majority Hindu. An estimated 220 million Indians are Muslim.
Adani Group operates the Israeli port of Haifa. Israeli military drone technology played a role during India’s May 2025 clash with Pakistan.
India also maintains relations with Gulf countries and Tehran. It is developing Iran’s Chabahar port, a trade route to Afghanistan, where New Delhi has built a relationship with Taliban authorities.
