What Happened
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Israeli Knesset (parliament) on February 25, 2026, becoming the first Indian head of government to address the Israeli parliament in its history.
- Modi stated that "India stands with Israel firmly, with full conviction, in this moment and beyond," drawing a parallel between India's experience of terrorism — referencing the 2008 Mumbai attacks — and Israel's experience of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.
- He expressed India's condolences for victims of the October 7 attacks, calling it a "barbaric terrorist attack," and affirmed India's "uncompromising policy of zero tolerance for terrorism with no double standards."
- Modi also stated "no cause justifies the killing of civilians," and voiced support for the UN Security Council-backed Gaza peace initiative passed in November 2024.
- The Knesset's Speaker conferred the Speaker of the Knesset Medal on Modi, and he concluded his address with both "Am Yisrael Chai" (The people of Israel live) and "Jai Hind."
Static Topic Bridges
India's Evolving Counter-Terrorism Policy
India's counter-terrorism posture rests on a combination of domestic legislation, bilateral cooperation, and multilateral engagement. The core domestic legal framework includes the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967 — significantly amended in 2004, 2008, and 2019 — which empowers the government to designate organizations and individuals as terrorists and proscribe their activities.
India has consistently argued for a "Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism" (CCIT) at the United Nations since 1996, when it first proposed the draft. The CCIT remains un-adopted because of disagreements among member states over the definition of terrorism — particularly whether state-sponsored acts and national liberation movements should be covered.
- India's NIA (National Investigation Agency) was constituted under the NIA Act, 2008 — passed in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks — as the central counter-terrorism agency.
- India is a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global body monitoring terrorist financing.
- India has bilateral counter-terrorism cooperation agreements with over 40 countries.
- The UN Security Council's 1267 Committee (established by Resolution 1267, 1999) maintains the ISIS/Al-Qaeda sanctions list; India actively uses this mechanism to designate Pakistan-based terrorists.
- India voted in favour of UNSC Resolution 2334 (2016) on settlements but has generally maintained support for Israel's right to self-defence against terrorism.
Connection to this news: Modi's Knesset speech was explicitly framed through India's counter-terrorism doctrine — equating Hamas's attack to the 26/11 attacks and calling for a global standard of zero tolerance. This positions India's Israel policy within its broader foreign policy position on terrorism.
India-Israel Relations: From Non-Recognition to Strategic Partnership
India's relationship with Israel passed through three distinct phases. During the Cold War and Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) era (1947–1991), India did not recognize Israel diplomatically despite voting against the UN Partition Plan of 1947. India recognized Israel as a state in 1950 but did not establish full diplomatic relations, largely because of Arab solidarity, the Muslim vote bank, and Gulf oil considerations.
Full diplomatic relations were established in January 1992 under Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao — a pivotal shift enabled by the end of the Cold War, the Oslo Peace Process, and India's own economic liberalization. The relationship progressively deepened through defence cooperation, agriculture, water technology, and, since 2017, a full-blown strategic partnership.
- India established an embassy in Tel Aviv: January 1992.
- First Indian PM to visit Israel: Narendra Modi in July 2017 — a landmark visit that elevated ties to a "Strategic Partnership."
- India is Israel's largest trading partner in Asia and third-largest globally.
- Defence trade: Israel was India's second-largest defence supplier (after Russia) through the 2010s; between 2020–24, it was the third-largest supplier (after Russia and France), providing 13% of India's military hardware imports.
- Key Israeli defence systems in service with India: Phalcon AWACS, Heron UAVs, Barak anti-missile systems, Spike anti-tank missiles, Spyder air defence systems.
- India and Israel have the I2U2 framework (India, Israel, UAE, USA) focused on joint investments in food security, clean energy, and water.
Connection to this news: The Knesset address and the elevation to "Special Strategic Partnership" (announced on February 26, 2026) represent the culmination of three decades of relationship-building since 1992, now formalized at the highest parliamentary level.
India's Position on the Israel-Palestine Issue
India's foreign policy on Israel-Palestine has been one of graduated evolution. India was one of the first countries to recognize Palestine (1988) and has historically supported the two-state solution — an independent, viable Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel, consistent with UN resolutions. India voted for Palestine's membership of UNESCO in 2011 and supported Palestine's non-member observer status at the UN General Assembly in 2012.
However, since 2014, India has pursued a policy of "de-hyphenation" — treating its relationships with Israel and Palestine as independent bilateral partnerships rather than a zero-sum choice. This has allowed India to simultaneously deepen defence and technology ties with Israel while maintaining humanitarian and developmental engagement with Palestine.
- India's position: Two-state solution based on pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as capital of a Palestinian state.
- India contributed $5 million to UNRWA (UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) after the October 7, 2023 conflict began.
- India abstained on several UN votes demanding a ceasefire in Gaza in 2023-24, while calling for humanitarian access.
- India voted in favour of UNGA Resolution ES-10/21 (October 2023) calling for a humanitarian truce.
- India co-sponsored the 2003 UN resolution establishing the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
Connection to this news: Modi's Knesset speech balanced unwavering support for Israel against terrorism with a stated commitment to the protection of civilians and support for the UNSC Gaza peace initiative, reflecting India's de-hyphenation posture rather than an abandonment of the Palestinian cause.
Key Facts & Data
- Date of Modi's Knesset address: February 25, 2026.
- First Indian PM to address the Knesset: Narendra Modi (2026).
- First Indian PM to visit Israel: Narendra Modi, July 2017.
- India-Israel diplomatic relations established: January 1992 (under PM P.V. Narasimha Rao).
- India recognized Israel as a state: September 1950 (no full diplomatic relations until 1992).
- October 7, 2023 Hamas attack: approximately 1,200 Israelis killed; 251 taken hostage.
- 26/11 Mumbai attacks: November 26–29, 2008; 166 killed; carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba.
- Agreements signed during Modi's 2026 Israel visit: 17 MoUs across AI, cybersecurity, agriculture, digital health, space, and civil nuclear energy.
- India-Israel bilateral trade (2023–24): approximately $7.1 billion.
- Israel is India's largest trading partner in West Asia.
- UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act): original act 1967, key amendments 2004, 2008, 2019.
- NIA established: 2008, under NIA Act 2008.
- India's Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) proposal: first introduced at UNGA in 1996.