Highlights:
- India and Israel to formalize a 'special strategic partnership.'
- Focus on joint development of advanced defense systems.
- New cooperation in AI, quantum computing, and cybersecurity.
- Modi to address the Knesset and visit Yad Vashem.
- Defense ties remain a cornerstone of bilateral relations.
India and Israel will upgrade their relationship to a 'special strategic partnership' during Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s visit, marking what officials describe as a significant leap forward—comparable to Israel’s close ties with countries like the United States and Germany.
Modi begins a two-day visit to Israel on Wednesday aimed at strengthening bilateral defense and trade cooperation. This will be his second visit to Israel in nine years. During his first visit in July 2017, the relationship was elevated to a strategic partnership.
The new designation is expected to further deepen cooperation, including joint development of advanced defense systems and a mutual commitment to support one another in times of need.
“The two countries have been reliable partners over the years, especially in times of crisis. This upgrade formally recognizes that reality,” sources told PTI.
Modi will be welcomed at the airport by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara. The two leaders will hold a one-on-one meeting following a brief reception.
In Jerusalem, Modi will meet members of the Indian community and address lawmakers at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament—an honor reserved for select global leaders.
On Wednesday evening, he will attend a technology exhibition highlighting Israel’s technological advancements, with leading Israeli executives present. Netanyahu is scheduled to host a private dinner that night.
On Thursday (26), Modi will pay tribute to Holocaust victims at Yad Vashem before meeting President Isaac Herzog.
Several memorandums of understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed, including a widely anticipated agreement on defense cooperation. As part of the upgraded framework, a new secrecy mechanism will be established, opening additional categories of collaboration.
Local media reports indicate that agreements are being finalized in areas such as air defense systems, including potential integration of India into Israel’s laser-based air defense system, Or Eitan.
Both countries are also expected to sign MoUs focusing on emerging and disruptive technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and cybersecurity.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the visit will reaffirm the deep and longstanding strategic partnership between the two countries and provide an opportunity to address shared challenges while advancing a robust partnership between two resilient democracies.
In recent years, India-Israel relations have expanded significantly across defense, scientific research, cybersecurity, and innovation. Defense cooperation has become a central pillar, with Israel supplying a wide range of military platforms and weapon systems to India.
