Modi's visit to Israel 2.0

The substance and the symbolism of Modi's visit to Israel

First published in the Middle East Eye

“We waded together in the waters of the Mediterranean, and much water has flowed since then in the Mediterranean, the Ganges, and the Jordan, though less in the Jordan.”

This is how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described his friendship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi since his landmark visit in 2017. On that visit, India signed a raft of deals, formalising the two countries as strategic partners in water and agriculture.

On Wednesday, Modi is scheduled to return to Israel for a two-day visit that Netanyahu says will underscore what he describes as a “special relationship” between the two countries - language typically reserved for US–Israel ties.

“This week, expression will be given to the special relationship that has been forged over recent years between Israel and the global power that is India, and between myself and its leader, Prime Minister Modi.”

Modi’s visit - in what is expected to be a highly choreographed display of friendship - comes at a pivotal moment in the Middle East, as the prospect of an imminent war with Iran appears more plausible than ever and Israel’s genocide in Gaza continues under the shadow of US President Donald Trump’s so-called “Board of Peace.”

It also comes as Netanyahu prepares for a new election cycle, with polls due in nine months.

Middle East Eye examines the substance and symbolism of the Indian prime minister’s visit this week.

Why is Modi travelling to Israel?

Over the past two and a half years, the Indian government has stood by Israel, providing labour, weapons and diplomatic cover even as a case of genocide continues to linger over Israel at The Hague. Over 72,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the war began.

Modi is widely considered to be the first leader to call Netanyahu in the hours following the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October 2023 on southern Israel, a move that would set the tone for Delhi’s solidarity with Israel’s narrative of self-defence, paving the way for India’s steadfast support for Israel in the war Gaza.

“The fabric of this relationship has grown tighter, and he is coming here so we can tighten it further through a series of decisions related to strengthening cooperation between our governments and countries. This includes economic, diplomatic and security cooperation,” Netanyahu said in the remarks released on Sunday.

Modi’s visit then will be an opportunity for Netanyahu to thank his counterpart for the steadfast support and will be used as a means to bolster his credentials domestically, as well as justify India as an important plank in his outreach to the Global South.

According to itineraries released by the Israeli media, Modi is expected to address the Israeli Knesset, a privilege reserved for special guests. He will host an event focused on tech and innovation with Israeli companies in Jerusalem, and later visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum.

Modi will not travel to the occupied West Bank or Gaza.

And there is no indication that the war in Gaza or Israel’s recent decision to register large areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property” will be part of any discussion with any Israeli leaders.

This aligns with Delhi’s policy under Modi to de-hyphenate Israel and Palestine, even if it undermines India’s stated commitment to a two-state solution.

What will be main focus of the visit?

Under Modi, India’s defence sector has become so deeply entangled with Israel’s military-industrial complex that defence ties are considered the bedrock of the relationship.

Between 2015 and 2019, India’s purchases of Israeli weapons increased by 175 percent.

India has, for the better part of a decade, been the biggest purchaser of Israeli weapons, including drones, missile systems, censors, surveillance technology, and border-control equipment.

Modi has looked to Israel to implement a project of modernisation of India’s military and further the goal of indigenising production and manufacturing, known as his “Make in India” programme.

Alongside importing Israeli arms, Delhi has become an important co-producer of Israeli weapons, a partnership set to expand Israel’s global reach.

Even as calls for an arms embargo on Israel escalated in mid-2025, India’s defence secretary and the director general of the Israeli Ministry of Defence met in New Delhi and “agreed to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation with a long-term perspective”.

In September, Delhi signed a Bilateral Investment Agreement with Israel, aimed at protecting investments in each other’s countries.

The agreement is also seen as a vehicle for advancing broader economic integration between India, Israel and the Middle East.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the agreement would “open new doors for both Israeli and Indian investors, strengthen Israeli exports, and provide businesses on both sides with certainty and tools to develop in the world’s fastest-growing markets”.

Several human rights activists said the agreement was an effort to address low investor confidence and provide material cover for Israel’s war on Gaza.

On Wednesday, discussions between the two leaders are likely to revolve around expanding ties, with a focus on intelligence cooperation, weapons development and technology transfer in India.

A report in The Hindustan Times noted that the two countries are likely to discuss the possibility of jointly developing anti-ballistic missile defence systems.

As per the report, India wants to increase strategic defence cooperation with Israel, which could be worth $10bn over the next several years.

This includes working together on long-range standoff missiles and drones, anti-ballistic missile systems and laser-based defence technology.

In a statement released by Netanyahu’s office, the countries will also “promote cooperation in hi-tech, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing”.

According to sections of the Indian and Israeli media, Modi’s visit is unlikely to yield new defence deals.

Instead, the two countries will sign a memorandum of understanding to deepen strategic cooperation.

Though it remains unclear what exactly Modi and Netanyahu will discuss regarding Iran, Israel’s prime minister offered a glimpse of the direction on Sunday.

Netanyahu spoke of forming a “hexagon” of alliances around and within the Middle East.

“This includes India, Arab nations, African nations, Mediterranean nations (Greece and Cyprus), and nations in Asia that I won’t detail at the moment. I will present this in an organised manner,” he said.

Netanyahu’s remarks, though largely undefined, are seen as a move to build a pro-western, anti-Iran economic and strategic bloc, one that builds on the foundations of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, and signals an attempt to consolidate regional alignments amid escalating tensions with Tehran.

Nonetheless, India appears to be fundamental to this formation in conjunction with the United Arab Emirates, especially in light of regional shifts.

How have Indians reacted to the visit?

The warm reception Modi will receive in Israel will resonate strongly with his constituents in India and reinforce perceptions of his global stature.

But even as Modi’s visit to Israel has been valorised in much of the Indian mainstream media, there have been pockets of concern and protest from activists and pro-Palestine advocates around the country.

These protests have been met with a harsh crackdown by Indian authorities.

Though Jairam Ramesh, a spokesperson for India’s official opposition, the Indian National Congress, issued a critical statement after the visit was announced, his criticism appeared to focus more on the lack of transparency from Modi’s office rather than the visit itself.

Ramesh said Indians had to hear about the visit to Israel from Netanyayhu “who has reduced Gaza to rubble and dust, and is now displacing and evicting even more Palestinians in the occupied West Bank”.

Ahead of Modi’s visit, Israel’s embassy in India released a video celebrating the event, with Israel’s envoy to India, Reuven Azar, calling the India-Israel relationship a partnership of trust.

“This is an exciting moment for India-Israel relations. We are looking forward to welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel,” Azar said.

Now, when India and Israel come together, it’s never just a meeting. It’s a partnership built on trust, powered by innovation and guided by a clear understanding of the challenges of our time,” Azar added.