PM Modi to visit Israel for 2 days to boost strategic partnership

PM Narendra Modi will undertake a two-day State visit to Israel from Feb 25 to review the India-Israel Strategic Partnership with PM Benjamin Netanyahu. Discussions will focus on cooperation in defence, tech, agriculture, and other key areas.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a State visit to Israel on February 25-26, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Tuesday. The visit comes at the invitation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and marks the Prime Minister's second visit to Israel, following his 2017 trip when he became the first-ever Indian Prime Minister to visit the country.

During the visit, Prime Minister Modi will meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The two leaders will review the significant progress made in the India-Israel Strategic Partnership and discuss further opportunities in various areas of cooperation, including science and technology, innovation, defence and security, agriculture, water management, trade and economy, and people-to-people exchanges.

According to the MEA, the leaders are also expected to exchange perspectives on regional and global issues of mutual interest. The Prime Minister will also call on Isaac Herzog, the President of Israel. This visit will reaffirm the deep and long-standing strategic partnership between the two countries and present an opportunity to review common challenges, as well as realign efforts towards achieving their shared vision for a robust partnership between two resilient democracies.

Netanyahu Hails 'Historic' Visit

Reflecting the significance of the diplomatic engagement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday termed the upcoming visit "historic", stating that the partnership continues to scale new heights. In a post on X, Netanyahu described Prime Minister Modi as a "dear friend" and highlighted the growing strategic alignment between the two countries.

"This morning, at the opening of our Cabinet meeting, I spoke about the historic visit of my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to Israel this coming Wednesday," he said. Calling the relationship a "powerful alliance between two global leaders", Netanyahu noted that Israel and India are partners in innovation, security, and a shared strategic vision. "Together, we are building an axis of nations committed to stability and progress," he added, specifically referring to cooperation in emerging technologies and broader geopolitical coordination.

Itinerary and Personal Bond

Providing further details on the itinerary, Netanyahu confirmed that the Prime Minister will arrive on Wednesday and deliver a speech at the Knesset (Israeli Parliament). The visit will also include an innovation event in Jerusalem and a joint visit to Yad Vashem. Highlighting their personal bond, Netanyahu recalled, "We are personal friends; we speak frequently on the phone and visit one another. We waded together in the waters of the Mediterranean, and much water has flowed since then."

Strategic Vision and Future Cooperation

The Israeli Prime Minister emphasised that the fabric of the relationship will be tightened further through decisions related to economic, diplomatic, and security cooperation.

Regarding the diplomatic aspect, Netanyahu detailed a vision to create a "hexagon" of alliances, including India, Arab nations, African nations, and Mediterranean nations, to counter radical axes. He further specified that the visit will promote cooperation in high-tech, AI, and quantum computing to ensure both nations remain among the world's leaders in these fields. (ANI)

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