During a rare visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a deepening of defense, commerce, and counterterrorism ties with Israel, creating deeper ties to fight regional security challenges.
After visiting Tel Aviv for the first time in nine years, Prime Minister Modi addressed the Knesset, Israel's parliament, on Wednesday, stating that defense cooperation between the two countries constitute a "important pillar" of the partnership.
Citing the ceasefire in the Gaza War last year as a way to work more closely, PM Modi stated that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are "dedicated to boosting trade," strengthening investment flows, and fostering collaborative infrastructure development."A solid defense alliance between reliable allies like Israel and India is crucial in today's unpredictable world, he stated.

According to a New Delhi person familiar with the situation, who asked not to be named since the talks are confidential, PM Modi is anticipated to complete a significant deal for Israeli-made missile systems during the visit. However, authorities stated that details of the agreement are unlikely to be made public because both parties want to keep the trip's focus on their wider relationships.
A request for comment on the order was not immediately answered by India's Ministry of External Affairs.
With a defense partnership that has developed over the years to the point that the two nations now jointly manufacture weapons like drones and missiles, Israel has been one of India's largest arms suppliers for decades.

Israeli ambassador to India Reuven Azar stated ahead of PM Modi's visit that the two countries are looking for a more comprehensive defense and security deal that would enable collaboration on "more sensitive projects."
In 2024, PM Modi's Hindu nationalist party won a third straight election. Modi has been an ardent defender of Israel and has a strong personal relationship with Netanyahu, frequently calling him a "friend." While the humanitarian effects of the conflict in Gaza put pressure on relations with Israel's other allies, he has stayed true to those relationships."Holds the promise of a just and durable peace for all the people of the region, including by addressing the Palestine Issue," Prime Minister Modi stated of the US-brokered peace plan for Gaza, which was ultimately approved by the UN. However, since Hamas has not yet renounced its weapons and future governance and security initiatives are still in their infancy, the truce's future is still unknown.
While their adversaries in the region are forming closer alliances, Israel and India are fortifying their ties. A mutual defense treaty was inked by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, a nuclear-armed country with whom India has had multiple conflicts over the years.Last month, persons with knowledge of the situation stated that Turkey is looking to join that defense alliance, a move that would further alter the balance of power in the unstable area.
"The two leaders see themselves as leading countries in a dangerous neighborhood, threatened by Islamist militancy," stated Michael Kugelman, an Atlantic Council senior scholar. a "a feeling that the international community is not willing to help them as much as they would like, compelling them to work more closely," he stated.
The trip's main aim is trade. Building on terms of reference agreed upon in November, Israeli diplomats visited India this week to begin negotiations on a free-trade agreement. Israel would then have more access to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world.

According to the Israeli Economy and Industry Ministry, India is Israel's second-largest economic partner in Asia, with bilateral trade expected to reach $5 billion in 2025, excluding defense and including products, services, and diamonds.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Modi's administration also purchases the most Israeli defense hardware, making up as much as 34% of total arms exports.
Netanyahu stated in the Knesset that Israel and India are building a land and sea route that will link India to the port of Haifa and thereafter to Europe.
That expands on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, a US effort announced in September 2023 to promote better ties between Israel and the Arab world.Sagi Karni, chief of Israel's Foreign Ministry's Southeast Asia and India Bureau, told Bloomberg that the plan is still feasible despite the threat posed by the commencement of the Israel-Hamas war a month later. He stated that after being partially acquired by India's Adani Group, Israel's Haifa port is ready to function as IMEC's Mediterranean end-point.According to Karni, that doesn't rule out the potential that IMEC has more channels that pass through different locations.