What Happened
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Israel on February 25-26, 2026 — his second visit to Israel, nine years after his historic first visit in July 2017.
- Modi is scheduled to address the Israeli Knesset (parliament) — a rare honour for a visiting leader — and will visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, with PM Netanyahu.
- The agenda centres on deepening bilateral defence and security cooperation, counter-terrorism frameworks, IMEC (India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor) revival, artificial intelligence collaboration, and cybersecurity.
- Ahead of the visit, India and Israel signed a defence MoU deepening cooperation and expanding joint activities.
- Netanyahu described the visit as "historic" and stated that Modi's visit is part of a broader effort to build a strategic alliance among moderate nations against radical elements in the region.
- A Gaza ceasefire has been in effect since October 2025, providing a relatively stable backdrop for regional diplomacy.
Static Topic Bridges
India-Israel Bilateral Relations — History and Evolution
India recognised Israel in 1950 but for over four decades maintained a policy of limited engagement to preserve ties with Arab states and solidarity with the Palestinian cause under the Non-Aligned Movement framework. Full diplomatic relations were established only in January 1992, when India opened an embassy in Tel Aviv. Since then, the relationship has grown rapidly, especially in defence and technology. Modi's July 2017 visit — the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister to Israel — marked the formal elevation of the relationship to a Strategic Partnership.
- Recognition of Israel by India: 1950 (but no formal diplomatic relations until 1992)
- Full diplomatic relations established: January 1992 — India opened embassy in Tel Aviv
- Strategic Partnership declared: July 2017 (Modi's first visit to Israel)
- 2017 agreements: Strategic deals worth $4.3 billion; $40 million India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund (Bird Foundation)
- India's position on Palestine: Traditionally supported two-state solution; diplomatic balancing between Israel and Arab nations
- Bilateral trade: $200 million in 1992 → $6.5 billion in 2024
- Israel: India's second-largest defence supplier (after Russia, ahead of France and the US in certain categories)
Connection to this news: Modi's 2026 visit builds on the 2017 Strategic Partnership foundation. Addressing the Knesset marks a further symbolic elevation — fewer than 10 foreign leaders have been accorded that privilege.
India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)
IMEC is a proposed multimodal connectivity corridor linking India to Europe via the Arabian Peninsula and the Eastern Mediterranean. It was announced at the G20 New Delhi Summit in September 2023 by eight countries: India, USA, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, Italy, and the European Union. The corridor envisions a combined sea-rail route: India → UAE (sea) → UAE-Saudi Arabia-Jordan-Israel (rail) → Israel's Haifa port → Mediterranean (sea) → Europe. Israel's Haifa port — operated by India's Adani Ports — is the critical Mediterranean entry point for the corridor.
- Announced: G20 New Delhi Summit, September 9, 2023
- Participating countries: India, USA, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, Italy, EU
- Route: India → UAE (sea) → Rail through Arabian Peninsula → Haifa, Israel → Mediterranean shipping → Greece/Europe
- Objective: Reduce shipping time India-Europe by ~40%; counter China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
- Haifa port: Operated by Adani Ports (since 2023); Israel's key Mediterranean gateway
- Status challenge: Hamas-Israel conflict (October 2023 onwards) stalled IMEC; Gaza ceasefire (October 2025) renewed momentum
- Modi-Trump White House meeting (early 2025): IMEC revival discussed
Connection to this news: Israel's participation in IMEC is essential — removing Israel from the route (as some partners proposed during the Gaza conflict) would render the corridor non-viable. Modi's visit and the revival of IMEC discussions signal both sides' commitment to restoring the corridor's momentum now that a ceasefire is in place.
India's Defence Ties with Israel — Co-development and Imports
Israel has been India's second-largest defence equipment supplier since the 1990s, with bilateral defence trade projected to reach $10 billion over the coming years. India-Israel defence cooperation has moved from pure procurement towards co-development under India's "Make in India" defence manufacturing push. Key platforms include surveillance drones (Heron, Searcher series), Barak surface-to-air missile systems, Spike anti-tank guided missiles, EL/M radar systems, and — more recently — co-development of extended-range stand-off missiles, laser weapons, and anti-ballistic missile defences.
- Israel: India's 2nd-largest defence supplier (by volume)
- Key platforms acquired: Heron drones (IAF), Barak-1/8 SAM systems (Navy/Air Force), Spike ATGMs (Army), Phalcon AWACS (IL-76 + EL/W-2090)
- Recent MoU (February 2026): Expand joint activities including seminars and cooperative R&D
- Co-development focus: Anti-ballistic missile defences, laser/directed energy weapons, extended-range stand-off munitions
- India-Israel Bilateral Investment Agreement: Signed September 2025
- FTA negotiations: Terms of reference signed November 2025; negotiations formally launched
Connection to this news: Defence cooperation deepening is a primary agenda item of the February 2026 visit. The pre-visit MoU signals that substantive agreements are being operationalised even as Modi arrives — consistent with India's practice of signing agreements around summit-level visits.
India's Palestine Policy and Diplomatic Balancing
India's approach to the Israel-Palestine question has undergone a gradual shift while maintaining formal support for the two-state solution. During the Cold War era, India championed the Palestinian cause and was among the first non-Arab states to recognise the PLO. Post-1992, India's policy evolved toward "de-hyphenation" — treating the Israel relationship and the Palestine relationship as separate tracks rather than a linked package. India voted against US positions at the UNGA on Jerusalem (2017) and Israeli settlements, while simultaneously deepening defence and economic ties with Israel.
- India's formal position: Supports an independent, sovereign Palestine state with East Jerusalem as capital; two-state solution
- De-hyphenation policy: India maintains separate, independent relationships with Israel and Arab/Palestinian entities
- PLO recognition by India: 1974 (among the first non-Arab states)
- India at UNGA: Voted to reject US recognition of Jerusalem as Israeli capital (2017) — 128 nations supported the resolution
- India's October 2023 position (Hamas attack): Initially expressed "solidarity with Israel" — later balanced with calls for humanitarian corridors and Palestinian civilian protection
- Gaza ceasefire: In effect since October 2025
Connection to this news: Modi's Knesset address and the "friendship built on trust" framing reflect the deepened strategic character of the bilateral relationship. The post-ceasefire timing reduces the diplomatic sensitivity of such a high-profile visit — allowing the relationship to be showcased without the optics of visiting Israel during active combat.
Key Facts & Data
- India established full diplomatic relations with Israel: January 1992
- India recognised Israel: 1950 (but no embassy until 1992)
- Modi's first Israel visit: July 2017 — first ever by an Indian PM; Strategic Partnership declared
- Modi's 2026 visit: February 25-26 — second visit; Knesset address scheduled
- India-Israel bilateral trade: $200 million (1992) → $6.5 billion (2024)
- India-Israel bilateral defence trade: Projected ~$10 billion over coming years
- IMEC announced: G20 New Delhi Summit, September 9, 2023 — 8 participants (India, US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, Italy, EU)
- Haifa port operator: Adani Ports (since 2023)
- India-Israel FTA: Terms of reference signed November 2025; negotiations formally launched
- India-Israel Bilateral Investment Agreement: Signed September 2025
- Gaza ceasefire: In effect since October 2025
- BIRD Foundation: $40 million India-Israel Industrial R&D Fund (established 2017)