PM Modi heads to Israel; Defence and tech cooperation top agenda for trip

Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for Israel on Wednesday for a two-day state visit aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation across key sectors, including defence and security, science and technology, innovation, agriculture, water management, trade, and people-to-people ties. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced the visit on Tuesday.

This marks PM Modi’s second visit to Israel in nine years. During his July 2017 trip to Tel Aviv, the relationship between the two countries was elevated to a “strategic partnership”. The Prime Minister is scheduled to address Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, on Wednesday and hold delegation-level talks with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu the following day. He will also call on President Isaac Herzog.

Focus on Strategic Partnership

According to the MEA, the two leaders will review progress under the India-Israel Strategic Partnership and explore new avenues of collaboration. They are also expected to exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest. The visit is intended to reaffirm the deep-rooted partnership between the two democracies and align efforts toward shared strategic goals.

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Several memoranda of understanding are likely to be signed, including agreements on security cooperation. However, there is no indication of any specific defence deal being finalised during this visit, even as Israel has agreed to share advanced defence technologies with India.

Defence Cooperation and Regional Context

In November last year, both sides signed an MoU during the 17th Joint Working Group meeting on defence cooperation in Tel Aviv, co-chaired by India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Major General Amir Baram of Israel’s defence ministry. The agreement outlined collaboration in the defence industry, R&D, AI, and cyber security.

Weapons of Israeli origin were deployed during Operation Sindoor in May 2025. Meanwhile, India recently joined over 100 countries in condemning Israel’s expansion of settlements in the West Bank, reiterating support for a two-state solution.