Tel Aviv: Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a high-profile red-carpet welcome at Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, marking the start of his second historic visit to Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, personally received the Indian leader with a warm embrace, underscoring the deep personal and diplomatic rapport between the two heads of state. This visit comes nine years after Modi’s landmark 2017 trip, which first elevated the bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to deliver an address to the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, later today before engaging in a private one-on-one meeting with Netanyahu. Formal, wide-ranging delegation-level talks are set for Thursday. In a statement released prior to his departure, Modi expressed confidence that the visit would set new milestones for the partnership, specifically focusing on science and technology, innovation, agriculture, water management, and trade.
A critical pillar of this visit is the deepening of defense cooperation. India is currently working on its indigenous air defense shield, “Sudarshan Chakra,” and is reportedly looking to explore the integration of technologies from Israel’s renowned Iron Dome system. This follows a significant defense cooperation agreement signed in November 2025 during the Indian defense secretary’s visit to Israel. The timing of the trip is also strategically significant, occurring against the backdrop of heightened Middle East tensions and a massive buildup of U.S. military assets in the region.
Economic ties are similarly high on the agenda. Following the signing of a Bilateral Investment Agreement in September and the launch of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations in November, both nations are looking to accelerate trade and investment flows. Beyond policy and defense, the 41,000-strong Indian diaspora in Israel remains a vital bridge in the multifaceted relationship, which continues to see robust growth in cybersecurity and scientific research.
