What Happened
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Israel on February 25, 2026 — the second visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Israel, following Modi's landmark first visit in 2017.
- Modi addressed the Knesset (Israeli parliament) and declared that "India stands with Israel firmly, with full conviction, in this moment and beyond," strongly condemning the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack as "barbaric."
- India and Israel elevated their "strategic partnership" to a "special strategic partnership" during the visit.
- Modi fully endorsed US President Donald Trump's Gaza plan, saying it "holds the promise of a just and durable peace for all the people in the region, including by addressing the Palestine issue."
- Critically, Modi did not visit Palestine — or the Palestinian leadership — during the trip, which critics called a "missed opportunity" to uphold India's historically balanced position in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
- The visit was widely seen as aligning India more explicitly with the US-Israel camp, representing a strategic repositioning on the issue.
- India has officially maintained its support for a two-state solution but has largely abstained from UN resolutions calling for an immediate ceasefire (though it voted for UNGA resolutions on ceasefire in December 2023 and December 2024).
Static Topic Bridges
India's Historical Position on the Israel-Palestine Conflict
India's approach to the Israel-Palestine conflict has evolved significantly since independence. India was among the first to recognise the State of Palestine and was initially deeply sceptical of Israel, establishing full diplomatic relations only in 1992.
- India voted against the 1947 UN Partition Plan for Palestine (UNGA Resolution 181), favouring a federated Arab-Jewish state rather than partition.
- India recognised the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) as the sole representative of the Palestinian people as early as 1974, and was among the first to grant it quasi-diplomatic status (1975).
- India formally established full diplomatic relations with Israel only in January 1992, under PV Narasimha Rao's government.
- Since then, India has maintained a "de-hyphenation" policy — cultivating strong ties with Israel on defence and technology, while formally supporting Palestinian statehood.
- India voted in favour of UNGA resolutions demanding "immediate, unconditional, and permanent" ceasefire in Gaza in December 2023 and December 2024.
- India imports significant defence equipment from Israel: Israel is one of India's top 3 defence suppliers, providing drones, missile systems, intelligence technology, and radars.
Connection to this news: Modi's strong pro-Israel statement during the Israel visit — and his decision not to visit Palestine — marks a departure from the "de-hyphenation" policy, tilting India visibly toward Israel in a way that risks damaging India's traditional standing in the Arab world and among Global South countries.
India-Israel Defence and Technology Partnership
The India-Israel relationship has been driven substantially by defence and technology cooperation, particularly since 2014. Israel is among India's largest arms suppliers and provides critical intelligence and surveillance technologies.
- A November 2025 MoU between India and Israel provided for joint development and joint production of military equipment, with emphasis on transfer of advanced technology.
- Israel's Heron drones (used by India along the Line of Actual Control with China and the Line of Control with Pakistan) and Phalcon airborne early warning systems are key defence imports.
- India and Israel cooperate on counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing, and cyber security.
- Israel's experience with anti-tunnel warfare, urban warfare doctrine, and Iron Dome-type air defence has been of interest to India's defence planners.
- Israel is among India's top 3 defence importers alongside Russia and France, though Russia remains by far the largest historical supplier.
Connection to this news: The depth of India-Israel defence cooperation creates a structural pull in India's foreign policy toward Israel, making it increasingly difficult for India to maintain the appearance of neutrality on the conflict. The "special strategic partnership" formalises what has been a de facto strategic alignment in defence matters.
Two-State Solution and International Law on the Israel-Palestine Conflict
The "two-state solution" — an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel — remains the internationally endorsed framework for resolving the conflict, endorsed by the UN General Assembly and Security Council through multiple resolutions. India's formal position supports this framework.
- UNGA Resolution 67/19 (2012) granted Palestine "non-member observer state" status in the UN — India voted in favour.
- UNSC Resolution 2334 (2016) declared Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories as violations of international law — India's abstention on this vote was notable.
- The ICJ (International Court of Justice) issued an advisory opinion in July 2024 ruling that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal and must end — India has not formally responded.
- India formally recognises the State of Palestine and hosts a Palestinian Embassy in New Delhi.
- Trump's Gaza plan (which Modi endorsed) proposed US oversight of a reconstructed Gaza without specifying the modalities of Palestinian governance or statehood — it was rejected by Palestinian leadership and criticised by most Arab states.
Connection to this news: By endorsing Trump's Gaza plan and not visiting Palestine, Modi effectively signalled that India is comfortable with a settlement framework that does not give the Palestinian Authority a central role — a significant shift from India's traditional insistence on Palestinian agency in the peace process.
Key Facts & Data
- Modi's Israel visit: February 25, 2026 (second visit by an Indian PM; first was July 2017)
- India-Israel full diplomatic relations established: January 1992 (PV Narasimha Rao government)
- India recognised PLO: 1974; granted quasi-diplomatic status 1975
- India recognised State of Palestine: 1988
- India-Israel partnership upgraded: "special strategic partnership" (February 2026)
- November 2025 MoU: joint development and production of military equipment with technology transfer
- Israel is one of India's top 3 defence suppliers (alongside Russia, France)
- India's ceasefire votes: December 2023 and December 2024 UNGA resolutions (both in favour)
- UNGA Resolution 67/19 (2012): Palestine granted non-member observer state status; India voted yes
- ICJ advisory opinion (July 2024): Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal
- Trump's Gaza plan: proposed US oversight of reconstructed Gaza; rejected by Palestinian leadership