Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu regarding progress on the India-Israel special strategic partnership, following a phone call from the latter, as per a press release from the Centre on Thursday. 'The two leaders reviewed sustained progress in India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the bilateral cooperation across various sectors for the mutual benefit of the two countries,' the release stated. The two leaders also exchanged their perspectives on the ongoing developments in West Asia and agreed to remain in touch, demonstrating continued high-level engagement between the two nations amid evolving regional tensions. As per the latest reports, the conflict in West Asia is continuing for over five months now without any permanent solution, with recent developments including Iran stating it is in the final stage of drafting an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz waterway with Oman, while two Israeli soldiers have been killed in Lebanon.
The India-Israel relationship has reached new heights with Prime Minister Modi and Netanyahu elevating bilateral ties to what has been described as the India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation and Prosperity. India and Israel signed a total of 17 agreements and documents as part of this special strategic partnership in February 2026, facilitating cooperation between the two countries regarding artificial intelligence, trade, investment, education, manufacturing, culture, maritime heritage, agriculture and other areas. The nations also agreed to fast track a trade deal between them as part of this arrangement, with both countries planning to expand upon their partnership in the defence space, working together to develop and produce military hardware. This represents a significant expansion of bilateral engagement across multiple strategic sectors, with Netanyahu noting that 'They say Israel is isolated. The support that Israel—and I personally, receive in India is simply unbelievable'.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as 'one of our greatest friends', explaining why Israel is investing heavily in ties with India. Speaking about Israel's foreign relations amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, Netanyahu stated that 'We need to cultivate additional alliances. That's why I'm investing heavily in our relationship with India, with my friend Narendra Modi, who is one of our greatest friends'. He emphasized that 'They say Israel is isolated. The support that Israel, and I personally, receive in India is simply unbelievable'. These remarks come as India and Israel continue to expand cooperation across multiple strategic sectors, with the partnership focusing on defence, technology, trade and broader strategic cooperation. Netanyahu has also highlighted that 'We have a unique relationship with a huge power called India. In India, there's support for Israel. We face delegitimisation in much of the world - but not in India. In India, there is an absolutely crazy love for Israel, truly crazy'. His latest comments were made during an event where he praised India as 'one of the countries with which Israel was seeking to strengthen ties'.
The partnership between India and Israel has grown significantly over recent years, with Netanyahu paying a high-profile visit to India in 2018, during which both sides signed nine agreements and described their relationship as a 'special' partnership. The relationship has continued to grow in 2026, with both countries expanding cooperation across strategic sectors. Netanyahu has been one of the central figures in strengthening India-Israel relations, particularly during Prime Minister Modi's tenure, highlighting that 'They say Israel is isolated. The support that Israel—and I personally, receive in India is simply unbelievable'. The partnership has now reached what both leaders describe as a 'Special Strategic Partnership' that represents a significant milestone in bilateral relations, with Netanyahu playing a key role in advancing bilateral ties during Prime Minister Modi's tenure.
