Indian Prime Minister Modi to Embark on Second Historic Visit to Israel

Modi's Second Visit to Strengthen Bilateral Ties

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to undertake a two-day official visit to Israel from February 25 to 26, 2026. The visit, announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on February 15, 2026, during an address to the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in Jerusalem, aims to further strengthen the 'tremendous alliance' between the two nations. This marks Modi's second visit to the Jewish state, following his landmark trip in July 2017, which was the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister.

Key Areas of Cooperation on the Agenda

The upcoming visit is expected to focus on a wide array of bilateral and regional interests, with discussions anticipated to cover several critical sectors:

• Defence and Security: Enhanced defence cooperation, industrial collaboration, and technology transfers are high on the agenda. India and Israel have a robust strategic partnership in defence, with recent agreements in November 2025 to boost co-development and co-production. An MoU to deepen defence ties was also signed recently, ahead of the Prime Minister's visit.
• Technology and Innovation: Cooperation in science and technology, research and development, technological innovation, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity will be key discussion points.
• Economic Ties: Efforts to deepen economic relations, including progress on a potential Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), are expected. Bilateral trade between the two countries reached nearly $4 billion in 2024.
• Agriculture and Water Management: These traditional areas of cooperation will also be reviewed to explore further advancements.
• Regional Issues: Discussions will likely include counter-terrorism strategies and the advancement of the India-Middle-East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).

Anticipated Engagements and Context

During his visit, Prime Minister Modi is expected to deliver an address to the Israeli Knesset (parliament), a significant diplomatic gesture. The visit follows a series of high-level exchanges, including visits by Israeli ministers to India in 2025 and India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to Israel in December 2025, underscoring the growing momentum in bilateral relations. While India has supported the Gaza peace plan, it has maintained a nuanced stance on regional conflicts, focusing on its strategic partnership with Israel.