Modi to visit Israel, agenda includes defense collaboration, cybersecurity and regional stability
Modi to visit Israel, agenda includes defense collaboration, cybersecurity and regional stability
Publish Date: 2026-02-22 13:36:00
Source Domain: indicanews.com
Using an unordered list, summarize the following article with between 4 and 8 key points.
indica News Bureau-
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, Feb.22, announced that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Israel on February 25 for a two-day official visit, marking Modi’s second trip to the country since his 2017 visit.
Speaking during Israel’s weekly Cabinet meeting and in posts shared on social media platform X through official channels, Netanyahu described the upcoming visit as a significant milestone in the special relationship that Israel and India have built in recent years. He referred to India as a “global power” and said the visit reflects the growing strategic depth between the two nations.
“On Wednesday, the Prime Minister of India, my friend Narendra Modi, will arrive in Israel. In the vision I see before my eyes, we will create a complete system of alliances around or within the Middle East. An axis of countries that see reality, the challenges, and the goals with one eye, facing the radical axis,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu highlighted the personal rapport he shares with PM Modi, saying they speak frequently over the phone and visit each other’s countries. “We are personal friends,” he said, underlining the continuity in bilateral ties between Israel and India.
Outlining his broader strategic outlook, Netanyahu said he intends to use the visit to advance a comprehensive alliance architecture in and around the Middle East. He described this framework as a “hexagon of alliances” that would bring together like-minded nations to collectively address regional challenges and counter radical forces.
“We have a unique alliance, and in my opinion, also a historic one, with the U.S. — both state-to-state and my personal relations with President Trump. This alliance does not mean that we are not seeking additional alliances — on the contrary, we are constantly nurturing them,” Netanyahu said, referring to Israel’s ties with the United States and former US President Donald Trump.
He added that Modi’s visit will help strengthen these broader partnerships while deepening cooperation between Israel and India across economic, diplomatic, and security domains.
According to the proposed agenda, PM Modi will address the Knesset in the afternoon of his visit, marking a significant diplomatic gesture. He will also join Netanyahu in visiting Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial, in a symbolic reaffirmation of shared democratic values and historical consciousness.
In addition, Modi will participate in an innovation-focused event in Jerusalem that will spotlight high-tech collaboration between the two countries. The discussions are expected to focus on emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and other frontier technologies, reflecting the expanding scope of India-Israel cooperation in science and innovation.
The upcoming visit comes nearly nine years after Modi’s 2017 trip — the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister to Israel — which significantly elevated bilateral ties in defence, agriculture, water management, and innovation. Netanyahu’s reciprocal visit to India in 2018 further consolidated the partnership and broadened cooperation across multiple sectors.
Amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, Modi’s visit signals India’s evolving strategic positioning and growing convergence with Israel on counter-terrorism efforts, defence procurement, and advanced technology sharing. Both sides are expected to discuss expanding bilateral trade, enhancing defence collaboration, strengthening cybersecurity frameworks, and promoting regional stability.
The announcement has also generated domestic political discussion within Israel, with some Opposition leaders raising procedural concerns regarding the proposed address to the Knesset. Nevertheless, officials on both sides view the visit as reinforcing what Netanyahu described as a “tremendous alliance” between the two democracies.
As both governments prepare for high-level engagements on February 25–26, they aim to further institutionalise cooperation against common security threats while advancing economic growth and technological partnerships in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.
