India–Israel Relations: PM Modi’s Tel Aviv Visit and the Strategic Evolution of Ties

India–Israel Relations Latest News

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on an official visit to Israel, marking his first trip there since his landmark 2017 visit (the first-ever by an Indian Prime Minister after diplomatic ties were established). 
  • That visit elevated India-Israel relations into the open and strengthened bilateral cooperation.

• However, the current visit takes place in a far more tense regional context, with concerns over a possible US-Iran conflict and a fragile ceasefire in Gaza. 
• Against this backdrop, the visit highlights the evolution of India-Israel ties and underscores their growing strategic significance.

The Early Years: Recognition Without Full Ties

• India recognised the state of Israel soon after its creation in 1948. 
• However, full diplomatic relations were delayed for over four decades due to political sensitivities and regional considerations.
  • In January 1992, during Palestinian President Yasser Arafat’s visit to India, Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao conveyed that diplomatic ties with Israel could strengthen India’s ability to influence the Palestinian cause.
  • Arafat publicly respected India’s sovereign decision, paving the way for a historic shift.
• India formally established diplomatic relations with Israel on January 29, 1992 — a move that marked a decisive turning point in bilateral relations.

Growing Defence Cooperation

• India had sourced Israeli weapons during the 1962 war with China, though engagement remained limited and episodic.
• During the Kargil conflict, Israel swiftly supplied precision bombs from its emergency stockpiles to the Indian Air Force. 
• This timely support significantly strengthened defence ties.

Political Engagement Deepens (2000–2003)

• In 2000, India organised high-profile visits to Israel, including External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and Home Minister L K Advani.
• To address domestic political concerns, leaders across party lines — including Jyoti Basu and Najma Heptullah — also visited Israel.
• Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s visit to India in September 2003 further consolidated defence and security cooperation.
• Later, the then External Affairs Minister S M Krishna visited Israel in 2012. 
• Public discussions focused on science and technology, agriculture, and commerce, while strategic defence ties were kept relatively low-profile.

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India–Israel Relations After 2014

• After assuming office in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought India-Israel ties into the open. 
• He met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New York in September 2014 — the first such meeting in a decade — signalling renewed political engagement.

High-Level Political Exchanges

• Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Israel in 2014.
• President Pranab Mukherjee made the first-ever Indian Presidential visit in 2015.
• External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj followed in 2016.
• Over the past decade, several Indian ministers and parliamentarians have also visited Israel.

The 2017 Breakthrough Visit

• PM Modi’s 2017 visit was historic not only as the first by an Indian Prime Minister but also because he skipped the customary stop in Palestine, signalling a more confident and independent diplomatic stance.
• His current visit similarly focuses solely on Tel Aviv.

Reciprocal Engagement

• Prime Minister Netanyahu visited India in January 2018, reinforcing bilateral ties.
• Since Netanyahu’s re-election, the two leaders have spoken at least 10 times in three years, reflecting sustained high-level engagement.

Expanding Strategic and Economic Cooperation

• India and Israel have deepened defence ties, evident during Operation Sindoor, and enhanced cooperation in cybersecurity, highlighted during the Pegasus disclosures.
• In November 2025, both sides signed defence pacts and launched negotiations for a free trade agreement. Cooperation now spans sectors such as artificial intelligence, agriculture, and advanced technologies.

A Shifting Geopolitical Landscape

• Since PM Modi’s first visit in 2017, West Asia’s geopolitical dynamics have changed significantly. 
• Israel and several Arab nations have moved toward normalisation under the Abraham Accords signed during Donald Trump’s first term.

Gaza War and Fragile Ceasefire

• The Hamas attack on October 7, 2023 triggered a prolonged war in Gaza, resulting in massive casualties and destruction.
• An uneasy truce now holds under a US-backed peace plan, with the key challenge being the disarmament of Hamas.

Rising Iran Tensions

• Tensions with Iran have intensified following a 12-day Israel-Iran conflict in June 2025, during which the US struck Iranian nuclear facilities.
• The US has since increased its military presence around Iran, further destabilising the region.

India’s Diplomatic Tightrope

• PM Modi’s visit comes amid regional turmoil, making it a sensitive diplomatic move. New Delhi must carefully balance costs and benefits.

Importance of Israel for India

• A crucial defence and security partner.
• A key economic partner in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.
• A significant regional political player with expanding ties in West Asia.

Regional Sensitivities

• Iran and other regional nations are closely observing India’s growing proximity to Israel and assessing its implications for their own ties with New Delhi.
• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, facing political pressure at home, is projecting the visit as a diplomatic success.

Conclusion

• PM Modi’s Israel visit unfolds in a volatile regional environment and will be closely watched across West Asia. It reflects India’s effort to navigate complex geopolitical realities while safeguarding its strategic and economic interests.

Source: IE | IE