Modi’s Visit Tightened Israel’s Bonds With India |
By any yardstick, Narendra Modi’s most recent visit to Israel, his second in nine years, seems to have been an unqualified success.
The prime minister of India, the world’s most populous democracy, spent two days in Israel, one of the few democracies in the Middle East.
He conferred with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his ministers, delivered a rousing speech in the Knesset, and signed more than a dozen agreements in various fields.
He left Israel shortly before the Israeli and U.S. armed forces launched a coordinated attack against Iran.
Prior to Modi’s departure, Israel and India released a joint statement affirming their “special strategic partnership” in a wide range of areas ranging from defence and security to investment and technology.
Israeli officials framed the visit as an opportunity to expand Israel’s growing relationship with India, whose small Jewish community has never been oppressed by state antisemitism, and to work toward a free trade accord.
“The future belongs to those who innovate, and Israel and India are bent on innovation,” Netanyahu said. Modi called Israel “a powerhouse of innovation and technological leadership,” which, he noted, forms “a natural basis for a future-oriented partnership.”
Tellingly, Modi did not revisit Ramallah, the capital of the Palestinian Authority, despite India’s history of supporting the Palestinian cause.
In comments before his arrival in Israel on February 25, Modi said, “India and Israel share a robust and multifaceted strategic partnership that has witnessed remarkable growth and dynamism in recent years.”
In his speech to the Knesset, Modi said that India stood “firmly” with Israel following Hamas’ attack on October 7, 2023.
“I carry with me the deepest condolences of the people of India for every life lost and for every family whose world was........