4 min readNew DelhiFeb 23, 2026 05:30 AM IST
WITHIN HOURS of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu officially confirming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be travelling to Israel on Wednesday, Modi said that India values the enduring friendship with Israel, built on “trust, innovation and a shared commitment to peace and progress”.
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This will be Modi’s second visit to Israel — he last visited in July 2017.
Netanyahu posted on X, “This morning, at the opening of our Cabinet meeting, I spoke about the historic visit of my dear friend, Prime Minister @narendramodi, to Israel this coming Wednesday.”
“The bond between Israel and India is a powerful alliance between two global leaders. We are partners in innovation, security, and a shared strategic vision. Together, we are building an axis of nations committed to stability and progress. From AI to regional cooperation, our partnership continues to reach new heights. Looking forward to seeing you in Jerusalem, PM Modi,” he said.
Thanking Netanyahu, Modi responded in a post, “I fully agree with you on the bond between India and Israel as well as the diverse nature of our bilateral relations. India deeply values the enduring friendship with Israel, built on trust, innovation and a shared commitment to peace and progress. Looking forward to our discussions during my upcoming Israel visit.”
The Israeli PM also posted, “This week, expression will be given to the special relationship that has been forged over recent years between Israel and the global power that is India, and between myself and its leader, Prime Minister @narendramodi. We are personal friends; we speak frequently on the phone and visit one another. I have visited India, and Modi has visited here. We waded together in the waters of the Mediterranean, and much water has flowed since then in the Mediterranean, the Ganges, and the Jordan.”
“In any case, one thing has happened: The fabric of this relationship has grown tighter, and he is coming here so we can tighten it further through a series of decisions related to strengthening cooperation between our governments and countries.”
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“So, on Wednesday, the Prime Minister of India will arrive. He will deliver a speech at the Knesset, and I am sure you will all be there. We will also hold an innovation event in Jerusalem and visit Yad Vashem together,” he said.
Modi’s 2017 trip was the first ever visit by an Indian PM to Israel. He had not visited the West Bank during that visit, but had visited Ramallah in a separate visit in February 2018 when he met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
His second visit to Israel comes months after the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza after two years of war. The attacks by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023 — which claimed more than 1,200 lives — had led to a military response by Israel. This led to the killing of more than 70,000 Palestinians, including Hamas combatants, women and children.
PM Modi had expressed immediate and initial support to Israel against Hamas within hours of the attacks on October 7, and had expressed solidarity against terrorism. Later, the Indian government had sought to nuance by talking about the two-state solution to assuage the concerns of Palestinians as well.
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In the last two years, India had expressed concern at the killings of innocent civilians and had called for humanitarian aid to be sent to Gaza. After US President Trump brokered the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, India had supported the Gaza peace plan. But it had chosen not to join the Board of Peace led by Trump.
Now, the Indian approach has been to move forward in the relationship with Israel. Both nations have deep strategic ties, especially in defence and security cooperation, and Modi’s visit is expected to give a fillip to these areas of cooperation.
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 and Israel is part of the corridor as well.
