The relationship between India and Israel is strengthening impressively, especially at a time when the world is undergoing major changes in the balance of power
Recently, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a historic visit to Israel, becoming the first Indian leader to address the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, on February 25, 2026. During the speech, Modi highlighted the shared values “”between the two countries, stating that these common ideals constitute the solid foundation of the modern partnership.
He recalled that both India and Israel are democracies shaped by a long history, but focused on the future.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, received Modi enthusiastically, highlighting the potential of this union.
Together, the two countries represent a huge portion of the world’s population, and Netanyahu described Israel as a nation “giant in spirit and deed,” capable of achieving great things.
The alliance, according to him, multiplies the forces of each nation in an extraordinary way.
The roots of this friendship go far beyond the present.
More than two thousand years ago, commercial ties existed between the regions, mentioned even in the Bible and ancient texts.
Modi mentioned the Book of Esther, which refers to India as “Hodu,” and Talmudic records about ancient trade exchanges.
Today, these ancient bonds take on new meaning in a changing world.
India is experiencing accelerated economic growth and should soon be among the three largest economies on the planet.
Israel, in turn, is recognized as a world leader in innovation and technology.
This combination creates a natural and powerful partnership.
Both countries value strategic autonomy and avoid rigid alignments, but they face common challenges such as radical Islamic terrorism.
Modi made it clear that there is no justification for the murder of civilians and that terrorism must be fought without exception, echoing Israel’s firm position.
The global context is one of great instability: fluctuations in American politics, the weakening of Europe due to demographic issues, wars such as the one in Ukraine and the advancement of China as a dominant power.
In this multipolar scenario, India appears as an important counterweight, with aggressive development policies and a gigantic population.
Leaders like Netanyahu and influential figures in the United States see India as a key partner in balancing influence, especially against Chinese expansion.
One of the most promising projects is the India-Middle East-Europe economic corridor (IMEC), which could change global trade routes.
Instead of passing through the Suez Canal, goods would travel from Asia through southern India, through the Middle East (including Saudi Arabia and Jordan) to Israel, and then to Europe and the United States by sea.
This would save old trade routes and reduce current dependencies, but depends on greater stability in the region.
The Middle East is experiencing a profound reconfiguration.
The Abraham Accords, signed in 2020, normalized Israel’s relations with countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco.
After the October 7, 2023 attacks, Israel weakened Iranian-backed groups such as Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen.
The fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria in 2024 and Iran’s economic and military difficulties, including sanctions and attacks on its facilities, open space for greater normalization and possibly even change within Iran itself.
Modi and Netanyahu reinforced their mutual commitment against extremism.
Netanyahu thanked India for its support after the events of October 2023 and proposed an “iron alliance” against Islamic radicalism, which threatens the values “”of moderation, progress and human dignity.
In the economic and technological domain, cooperation is advancing rapidly.
Israel acts as an innovation hub for India, with collaborations in space (satellites for communications, intelligence and missile defense), agriculture (precision irrigation that has already transformed India’s crops), water management (recycling and desalination techniques help the country, which has 20% of the world’s population but less than 5% of its fresh water) and energy.
India offers industrial capacity to reduce Israel’s dependence on Arab labor and a huge market for Israeli technologies.
Negotiations are underway for a free trade agreement.
During the visit, 16 bilateral agreements were signed in the areas of education, technology, agriculture and others, with plans for high-level reciprocal visits.
Modi ended his speech with the words “Am Yisrael Chai.
Jai Hind” – “The people of Israel live.
Victory for India” – symbolizing hope and shared strength.
This partnership is not just bilateral: it can influence the global future, helping both countries lead innovation, security and prosperity in an increasingly complex and multipolar world.
Published in 02/27/2026 08h52
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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