Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit aims to deepen India-Israel ties in defence, trade and technology, amid domestic criticism over Gaza.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew to Israel for a two-day visit to deepen ties with a key trade and defence partner.

The trip has stirred criticism from opposition figures at home regarding the war in Gaza.

“Our nations share a robust and multifaceted strategic partnership,” Modi said in a departure statement.

He confirmed he will meet his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and address the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.

Modi said he would hold talks with Netanyahu to “discuss ways to strengthen cooperation” and also meet Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

New Delhi has steadily expanded cooperation with Israel across defence, agriculture, technology and cybersecurity.

This is done while balancing diplomatic interests with other Middle Eastern nations.

Talks opened in New Delhi on Monday for an India-Israel Free Trade Agreement.

The Indian government noted that total merchandise trade was USD 3.62 billion in the 2024-2025 financial year.

Full diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1992.

Ties deepened significantly after Modi, a Hindu-nationalist leader, took office in 2014.

Modi visited Israel as prime minister in 2017, before Netanyahu made a reciprocal visit to India the following year.

Both right-wing leaders have referred to each other as a “friend”.

In September 2023, grand plans were unveiled for an India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor.

The corridor aimed to link railways, ports and data networks through Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Those plans were stalled by Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza.

Senior Congress party figure Priyanka Gandhi posted on social media that she hoped Modi would mention Gaza.

She said she hoped he would reference the killing of “thousands of innocent men, women and children” when addressing Israel’s parliament.

India, with an estimated 220 million Muslim citizens, maintains strong relations with Gulf nations and Tehran.

It is also developing Iran’s Chabahar port as a trade gateway to Afghanistan.

One of India’s largest conglomerates, the Adani Group, operates the Mediterranean port of Haifa.

Israeli military drone technology also played a pivotal role during India’s clash with Pakistan in May 2025.

 The Sun Malaysia