This is his second trip to Israel, following the “historic” July 2017 visit — the first ever by an Indian prime minister to the Jewish state — and it unfolds at a moment when West Asia is simmering with tensions and shifting alliances.
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At the heart of the visit is a deepening relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has not only framed India as a key global partner but also placed it within a broader geopolitical vision he calls a “hexagon” of alliances.
Netanyahu’s “hexagon” vision
Speaking at the start of a weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu laid out an ambitious idea — an interconnected alliance system spanning multiple regions.
“I want to say something regarding the diplomatic aspect: In the vision I see before me, we will create an entire system, essentially a ‘hexagon’ of alliances around or within the Middle East. This includes India, Arab nations, African nations, Mediterranean nations (Greece and Cyprus), and nations in Asia that I won’t detail at the moment. I will present this in an organized manner,” as per the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs on February 22.
He expanded on the strategic logic behind this framework.“The intention here is to create an axis of nations that see eye-to-eye on the reality, challenges, and goals against the radical axes, both the radical Shia axis, which we have struck very hard, and the emerging radical Sunni axis. All of these nations share a different perception, and our cooperation can yield great results and, of course, ensure our resilience and our future,” the statement added.
Netanyahu’s formulation is not just about economics or connectivity — it leans heavily into security alignment and ideological convergence. While it broadly resembles the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), he is clearly pitching something more strategic than a trade route.
What Modi’s visit will look like on the ground
According to Israeli statements, Modi’s itinerary blends symbolism, policy, and public messaging.
He will arrive on Wednesday, meet Netanyahu soon after landing, and later address the Knesset — the Israeli Parliament. This carries its own historical weight; the last Indian leader to address the Knesset was then-President Pranab Mukherjee in 2015.
Modi will also attend a technology and innovation event in Jerusalem, visit Yad Vashem — the Holocaust memorial established in 1953 — and hold delegation-level talks. A meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and an interaction with the Indian community are also on the schedule.
Netanyahu highlighted a forward-looking dimension to the visit:
“I should also note an additional point of special cooperation: We will promote cooperation in high-tech, AI, and quantum computing”.
“I say AI and quantum not because they are the future, but because they are the present. We, of course, want to be among the world’s leading nations in these fields”, he said.
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Defence, tech, and trade
Beneath the diplomatic language, the visit is expected to be anchored in hard strategic interests — especially defence.
Israel remains one of India’s largest arms suppliers, with New Delhi accounting for 34 per cent of Israel’s total arms exports between 2020 and 2024, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
There are indications that discussions may cover joint development in advanced military technologies — anti-ballistic missile systems, directed-energy laser weapons, long-range stand-off missiles, and next-generation drones, as per Forbes India.
The same report said that Israel has approved $8.6 billion in arms deals with India in 2026, making it the country’s second-largest supplier after France, and a broader defence framework agreement may be on the table. Such a framework could open previously restricted areas, including advanced air defence systems.
As per the Israeli outlet CTech by Calcalist, there is also talk of Israel offering its laser-based air defence system, Iron Beam, to India.
Beyond defence, economic ties are also gaining traction. Bilateral merchandise trade stood at $3.62 billion in FY 2024–25, even as India and Israel have begun negotiations for a proposed Free Trade Agreement ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit.
The first round of talks was launched on Tuesday, with trade and technical experts from both sides holding detailed discussions across a wide spectrum of issues, as per sources.
These include trade in goods and services, rules of origin, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, customs procedures and trade facilitation, as well as intellectual property rights.
Personal chemistry, political signalling
Netanyahu also leaned into his well-documented personal rapport with Modi, blending diplomacy with storytelling.
“This week, expression will be given to the special relationship that has been forged over recent years between Israel and the global power that is India, and between myself and its leader, Prime Minister Modi”, he had said earlier.
“We are personal friends; we speak frequently on the phone and visit one another. I have visited India, and Modi has visited here,” he added.
Then came a line that nods to one of the most viral diplomatic moments in recent memory:
“We waded together in the waters of the Mediterranean, and much water has flowed since then in the Mediterranean, the Ganges, and the Jordan, though less in the Jordan”.
That reference goes back to 2017, when images of the two leaders walking barefoot along a Mediterranean beach became shorthand for what many dubbed a political “bromance”. Behind the optics, though, the relationship has steadily institutionalised into a dense web of cooperation.
“In any case, one thing has happened: The fabric of this relationship has grown tighter, and he is coming here so we can tighten it further through a series of decisions related to strengthening cooperation between our governments and countries”, Netanyahu emphasised.
The regional tension backdrop
The timing of Modi’s visit is anything but routine.
He arrives in Israel amid heightened tensions in West Asia, including the looming possibility of a US strike on Iran. The proposed “hexagon” alliance — widely seen as aimed at countering Iran and its regional network — adds another layer of sensitivity.
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India, however, walks a careful line. It maintains strong ties with Israel but also shares longstanding relations with Iran. That balancing act becomes even more delicate when proposals like the “hexagon” explicitly frame regional blocs in adversarial terms.
The diplomatic tightrope is already visible. Just days before the visit, India joined over 100 countries in condemning Israel’s expansion in the occupied West Bank, while continuing to support a two-state solution for Palestine.
Pakistan pushes back
On the hexagon, Pakistan’s Senate passed a resolution condemning Israel’s proposed alliance framework, calling it a threat to regional and international stability.
The resolution, moved by Palwasha Khan of the Pakistan Peoples Party, deplored “continued provocative steps and statements by the Israeli leadership that threatened the regional and international peace and stability, including the latest statement about forming alliances”.
It also criticised Israel’s actions in Palestinian territories, citing a “blatant disregard of international law, the UN charter, relevant UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions as well as the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice.”
Separately, Pakistan has been engaging diplomatically in the Gulf.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during a visit to Qatar, emphasised cooperation for “peace and stability in the region and beyond,” as per a statement shared on X.
Meetings with Qatar’s Emir and Prime Minister focused on expanding economic ties while also reviewing regional developments, including Gaza.
Why this visit matters now
This trip carries symbolic weight beyond bilateral ties. Only a handful of leaders from the Global South have visited Israel since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and the subsequent war in Gaza.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the visit will “reaffirm the deep and long-standing strategic partnership between the two countries and will present an opportunity to review the common challenges as well as realign efforts towards achieving their shared vision for a robust partnership between two resilient democracies.”
Modi is stepping into a region where alliances are being redrawn in real time, and Netanyahu is openly sketching new ones.
