JERUSALEM — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel on Wednesday for a two-day visit framed by both nations as a gateway to expanded ties, even as fears grow of a US-Iran military clash rocking the region.
The Hindu-nationalist leader, who made history as India’s first prime minister to visit in 2017, sharing a barefoot beach walk in Haifa with Benjamin Netanyahu—returns nearly nine years later. The pair, mutual “friends” still leading their right-wing governments, will discuss artificial intelligence and defense, with Israel pushing to ramp up arms exports.
An Israeli government official called the trip a catalyst for “new partnerships across many fields,” while a foreign ministry source said bilateral relations stood on the brink of a major leap. Modi plans to speak before the Knesset parliament and lay a wreath at Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial.
The timing underscores regional volatility: The US has massed naval forces off Iran’s coast amid stalled nuclear talks, dispatching an aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean near Israel. Any US strikes could provoke Iranian counterattacks on Israel and US bases in Gulf states, home to millions of Indian expatriates who remit billions annually.
Kabir Taneja of the Observer Research Foundation think-tank said New Delhi opposes regional war and likely conveyed such messages before and during the visit. Israel’s foreign ministry confirmed talks would touch on “regional aspects.
“At a recent cabinet session, Netanyahu positioned India in a prospective “axis” of aligned nations countering Iran’s “radical Shi’ite axis” and an “emerging radical Sunni axis,” predicting their partnership would bolster resilience. Taneja noted India’s appetite for Israeli gear but reluctance to formal alliances, rooted in its non-aligned tradition.