Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel on February 25, 2026, for a two-day visit, where he will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and address the Knesset parliament. This marks his second trip since 2017, focusing on defence, AI, and trade cooperation. Opposition has raised concerns over the Gaza issue.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his two-day visit to Israel on February 25, 2026, set to conclude on February 26. This is his second trip since July 2017 and will feature the first address to the Knesset by an Indian prime minister. Netanyahu welcomed Modi at the Tel Aviv airport, as in 2017, and the leaders will travel together to Jerusalem.
The agenda includes bilateral talks, joint press statements, a private dinner, an innovation event, a visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, and a meeting with the Indian diaspora. Key areas encompass defence and security, science and technology, innovation, agriculture, water management, trade, and investment. In his departure statement, Modi said, "I am confident that my visit to Israel will further consolidate the enduring bonds between our two nations."
Netanyahu proposed a 'hexagon' alliance in the Middle East, involving India, Arab nations, African countries, Mediterranean states like Greece and Cyprus, and unspecified Asian nations, aimed against radical Shia and Sunni axes. He described India as a "gigantic power" and Modi as a personal friend. No formal endorsements have emerged.
India's Congress party criticized the visit. Jairam Ramesh stated, "Prime Minister Modi is brazenly embracing his Israeli counterpart, who has reduced Gaza to rubble and dust." Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hoped Modi would mention the "genocide of thousands of innocent men, women and children in Gaza" during his Knesset address and demand justice.
Israel's opposition, led by Yair Lapid, urged Netanyahu to invite Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit to Modi's address, threatening a boycott otherwise to resolve a domestic political crisis. The Jerusalem Post printed a special front page welcoming Modi. The Knesset was illuminated in Indian tricolors ahead of the visit.
