Defence ties to regional alignments: Why PM Modi is visiting Israel now

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Tel Aviv on a two-day state visit on Wednesday (February 25) as the prospect of a potential US-Iran conflict roils West Asia. This is not only Modi’s first visit to the country after the war in Gaza began in October 2023, it is also his first since 2017. While India had strongly criticised the October 7 attack by Hamas that had triggered the devastating war in Gaza, it has also maintained its position on a two-state solution for Palestine. New Delhi has consistently sought to de-hyphenate its ties with Israel and Palestine. We look at three reasons why Modi is making this visit now: ## India and Israel: Defence and security pacts India and Israel share strong cooperation across sectors including science and technology, trade, investment and agriculture. The main pillar of the ties, however, remains defence and security. India has been the biggest purchaser of Israeli weapons over the last decade, especially between 2015 and 2019, including drones, missile systems, sensors, surveillance technology and border-control equipment. In fact, New Delhi has looked to Tel Aviv to implement the modernisation of India’s military and further the goal of indigenising production and manufacturing. 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. Modi’s 2017 visit to Israel was the first ever by an Indian prime minister. During this visit, the relationship was upgraded to a strategic partnership. Netanyahu, too, visited India the next year. In November 2025, Israel’s Defence Secretary visited India and signed an important memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation. Discussions on regional situation and peace plan India recently attended the first Board of Peace meeting in Washington as an observer — that is, without formally joining President Donald Trump-led initiative. India has, however, welcomed Trump’s Gaza peace plan. In October last year, Modi had also called Netanyahu to congratulate him on the progress made under the plan. The two Prime Ministers have remained in touch over the regional situation at various points, most recently on December 10 and January 7. Netanyahu recently described India as a central pillar of his proposed Hexagon of Alliances which seeks to unite Israel with Greece, Cyprus and several Arab countries, besides India. Tel Aviv has framed this as a move to counter “radical adversaries”. It remains to be seen if New Delhi provides legitimacy to this new formation considering its global image. Besides, Modi and Netanyahu are expected to exchange notes on how to push the India-Middle-East-Europe Economic Corridor, which is important to both countries. Israel is part of the corridor as well. Outreach across political spectrum During the visit, Modi is slated to address the Israeli Parliament, Knesset, becoming the first Indian leader to do so. However, this moment may get entangled in Israel’s domestic politics. The country goes to the polls in October in what will be its most contentious elections in recent history. Opposition leader Yair Lapid has threatened to boycott Modi’s parliamentary address unless the Supreme Court chief is invited, as per convention. “We do not want India to be embarrassed by us, with the Prime Minister of a nation of a billion people standing here in front of a half-empty Knesset,” Lapid said in the Knesset recently. Israel is embroiled in a heated debate over judicial overhaul, an issue that has sharply split the population lately. Divya A reports on travel, tourism, culture and social issues - not necessarily in that order - for The Indian Express. She's been a journalist for over a decade now, working with Khaleej Times and The Times of India, before settling down at Express. Besides writing/ editing news reports, she indulges her pen to write short stories. As Sanskriti Prabha Dutt Fellow for Excellence in Journalism, she is researching on the lives of the children of sex workers in India. ... Read More