During his visit to Israel, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi elevated the relationship between the two countries to a “special strategic partnership” and signed a series of cooperation agreements including technology and cyber security on February 26th.
Modi arrived in Tel Aviv on February 25th for a two-day visit to Israel and was welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On February 26th, Modi announced that both countries have decided to elevate their long-standing relationship to a “special strategic partnership,” reflecting the desires of the people of both nations. Modi also expressed strong support for the peace initiative in Gaza.
India and Israel have agreed to expedite the conclusion of a “mutually beneficial” free trade agreement. Modi stated during a joint press conference, “Our economic cooperation serves as the engine for growth, innovation, and mutual prosperity.”
Regarding security issues, Modi emphasized that “India’s security interests are directly related to peace and stability in West Asia.” He highlighted that defense and security are another important pillar of the partnership between India and Israel, stating that “strong defense cooperation between trusted partners like India and Israel is crucial in today’s uncertain world.”
Modi and Netanyahu held delegation-level talks on February 26th, signing agreements in various fields including agriculture, education, geophysical exploration, maritime heritage, fisheries, aquaculture, cyber security, and artificial intelligence. Modi also mentioned that agreements have been reached on the use of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in Israel.
Netanyahu acknowledged that despite Modi’s brief visit, the outcomes were “extremely fruitful.”
On February 25th, Modi was honored with the “Speaker of the Knesset Medal” during his address at the Israeli parliament. He is the first leader to receive this award, which is the highest honor of the Israeli Knesset.
After Modi’s speech in the Knesset, Israeli Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana presented him with the medal, recognizing Modi’s outstanding contributions to strengthening the strategic relationship between India and Israel through his personal leadership.
Modi stands out as one of the very few world leaders to receive the highest honors from both Israel and Palestine.
As the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel, Modi has seen a continuous improvement in bilateral relations between India and Israel during his 12-year tenure. Modi’s last visit to Israel was in 2017, while he previously visited Israel in 2006 when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat in Western India.