New Delhi, February 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a two-day State visit to Israel from February 25-26, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced. The visit, which comes at the invitation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, marks the Prime Minister's second trip to Israel. His first visit in 2017 made him the first-ever Indian Prime Minister to set foot in the country.
During the visit, PM Modi will engage in talks with Prime Minister Netanyahu to review the significant strides made in the India-Israel Strategic Partnership. The leaders are expected to explore further opportunities for collaboration across a variety of sectors, including science and technology, innovation, defence and security, agriculture, water management, trade and economy, and people-to-people exchanges. They will also discuss regional and global matters of mutual concern. In addition, PM Modi will meet with Israeli President Isaac Herzog to continue building ties between the two nations.
This visit is seen as an opportunity to reaffirm the strong and enduring strategic partnership between India and Israel. It also provides a platform for the two countries to address common challenges and realign their efforts toward achieving a vision of strengthened cooperation between two resilient democracies.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the visit "historic," highlighting the growing strategic alignment between the two nations. In a post on X, Netanyahu described PM Modi as a "dear friend" and spoke of the strong partnership between Israel and India, which he sees as a powerful alliance centered on innovation, security, and shared strategic interests. Netanyahu also emphasized their joint efforts in emerging technologies and broader geopolitical coordination.
The Prime Minister's itinerary includes delivering a speech at the Knesset (Israeli Parliament), attending an innovation event in Jerusalem, and visiting Yad Vashem. Reflecting on their personal bond, Netanyahu shared, "We are personal friends; we speak frequently on the phone and visit one another. We waded together in the waters of the Mediterranean, and much water has flowed since then."
Netanyahu also mentioned that this visit would further deepen the relationship, particularly in areas of economic, diplomatic, and security cooperation. He outlined plans to create a "hexagon" of alliances between India, Arab nations, African countries, and Mediterranean states to counter radical influences, emphasizing cooperation in high-tech, AI, and quantum computing to ensure both nations remain global leaders in these fields.
