PM Modi culminated his 2-day visit to Israel from February 25 to February 26, 2026. This visit was seen as a watershed moment in the evolution of India-Israel bilateral ties. It was the second visit of PM Modi to Israel, the first being in July 2017, also making it the second visit by any Indian PM to Israel. This visit came at the time of heightened geopolitical tensions in West Asia. The two-day visit was monumental, as it elevated bilateral relations to a “special strategic partnership.” It reflects growing convergence between the two countries in areas like defense cooperation, counterterrorism, agriculture, and water management. More broadly, it highlighted India’s pragmatic and multi-aligned approach to West Asian diplomacy—strengthening ties with Israel while maintaining constructive relations with Arab states. In this context, the visit was both symbolic and substantive, marking a new phase in bilateral relations.
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INDIA – ISRAEL PARTNERSHIP: SHARED STRATEGIC INTERESTS
The gamut of India-Israel partnership ranges from various aspects like historical goodwill, shared threat of terrorism, and defense collaboration. Historically, both nations established full diplomatic relations only in 1992, but the goodwill they share is far older. For Israel, India is the only nation where Jews were never persecuted throughout their history. More so, it was Indian soldiers who played a decisive role in the liberation of Haifa from the Ottomans, which later resulted in the formation of Israel. For India, on the other hand, Israel has always provided last-ditch assistance during crucial wars. During the 1971 war, it was Israel that secretly supplied the shipment of arms to India, despite the lack of formal diplomatic relations. Furthermore, during the 1999 Kargil War, Israel provided precision-guided munitions and laser-guided systems for Mirage 2000 fighters, which resulted in India’s victory against Pakistan.
The second point of convergence is the shared threat of terrorism. Both nations have faced persistent threats from extremist groups and cross-border militancy. Consequently, counterterrorism cooperation and intelligence sharing have become key components of bilateral ties. Furthermore, defense collaboration forms the backbone of the India–Israel partnership. Israel has emerged as one of India’s most important defense suppliers, providing advanced military technologies such as drones, missile systems, surveillance platforms, and electronic warfare equipment. Increasingly, the relationship is shifting from a simple buyer–seller arrangement toward joint research, development, and co-production of defense technologies. The Barak-8 missile and Harop drones are the prime examples of Indo-Israeli defense cooperation, which were also heavily used by India during Op Sindoor against Pakistan. In return, India also supplied shipments of drones, arms, and munitions to Israel during its conflict against Hamas. This reflect the strategic depth of bilateral ties between India and Israel.
THE BRASS TACKS: DEALS, AGREEMENTS, AND KEY EVENTS
The 2026 visit produced several concrete outcomes aimed at strengthening cooperation in emerging technologies, economic integration, and security. India and Israel signed nearly sixteen agreements and launched multiple initiatives covering sectors such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, agriculture, energy, trade, and digital finance. A key development was the introduction of India’s digital payment system, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), in Israel through cooperation between NPCI International and Israel’s domestic payment networks, enabling faster and more seamless digital transactions between the two countries. Technological collaboration became a major focus, with both sides establishing a Critical and Emerging Technologies Partnership to support joint work in areas like artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and critical minerals. Agricultural cooperation was also enhanced through the creation of the India–Israel Innovation Centre for Agriculture, which aims to promote advanced farming methods and technological solutions to improve agricultural productivity.
Beyond economic and technological collaboration, the visit also helped deepen people-to-people connections between the two nations. India and Israel signed a cultural exchange program for 2026–2029 to encourage cooperation in culture, education, and tourism. They also expanded labor mobility arrangements that could open employment opportunities in Israel for thousands of Indian workers. The visit included several significant diplomatic and symbolic engagements. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, where he emphasized the shared democratic values and enduring friendship between the two countries. During the visit, he also met Israeli President Isaac Herzog and attended innovation exhibitions that highlighted Israel’s progress in areas such as cybersecurity, health technology, water management, and artificial intelligence. Defense cooperation remained a key focus of discussions, with both sides agreeing to enhance collaboration in the joint development and production of advanced defense technologies while also exploring avenues for greater technology transfer.
NAVIGATING REGIONAL SENSITIVITIES: INDIA, ISRAEL, AND THEN ARAB STATES
The deepening of India–Israel ties inevitably raises questions regarding their impact on India’s relations with Arab countries. For decades, India pursued a cautious approach toward Israel, mindful of its strong political, economic, and energy ties with the Arab world and its consistent support for Palestinian statehood. However, Modi’s visit demonstrated that India’s West Asia policy has evolved toward a more balanced and pragmatic framework. India continues to support a peaceful resolution of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and maintains diplomatic engagement with Palestine, while simultaneously expanding strategic cooperation with Israel. Importantly, several Arab states themselves are adopting a more pragmatic approach toward engagement with Israel. The Abraham Accord is one such example of Arab-Israeli normalization. In this context, India’s policy reflects a broader diplomatic recalibration—one that seeks to maintain strong relations with all key actors in West Asia while advancing its national interests.
CONCLUSION
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2026 visit to Israel represents a significant milestone in the transformation of India–Israel relations into a comprehensive strategic partnership. By elevating ties to a Special Strategic Partnership and signing multiple agreements across defense, technology, agriculture, and digital innovation, the visit underscores the burgeoning complementarity between the two nations. At the same time, India’s balanced approach toward both Israel and the Arab world reflects a pragmatic and multi-aligned foreign policy. As geopolitical dynamics in West Asia continue to evolve, the India–Israel partnership is likely to play an increasingly significant role in shaping the strategic landscape of West Asia and beyond.
