India-Israel ties have stood ‘test of time’; will soon finalise FTA: PM Modi
NEW DELHI : Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on Thursday said India and Israel have elevated their bilateral relationship to the status of a special strategic partnership, adding that the “historic decision” reflects the aspirations of the people of the two countries whose relationship is founded on “deep trust, shared democratic values, and humanitarian bonds.”
“In today’s meeting, we discussed giving new direction and greater momentum to our cooperation,” Modi said at a joint press briefing with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu after the two leaders held delegation-level talks in Jerusalem.
The discussions covered a raft of areas including defence and security, technology and innovation; cybersecurity; trade, investment and connectivity; agriculture, water and environmental protection; combating terror and promoting peace; parliamentary cooperation; health; education; and people-to-people exchanges.
“The leaders noted the immense progress made in the India-Israel bilateral relationship across diverse domains, including emerging technologies, cyber, agriculture, water management, health, entrepreneurship, defence, security, and more. Prime Minister Netanyahu and Prime Minister Modi agreed and decided to elevate the Strategic Partnership to a new level – ‘A Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation & Prosperity,’” said a joint statement issued in Jerusalem.
At a special press briefing later, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said the US-Iran tensions and the overall regional situation figured in the discussions between the two PMs.
“The PM (Modi) reiterated India’s firm belief in the value of dialogue and pursuing peaceful solutions to all such issues. He also reiterated India’s readiness to offer its support for a peaceful solution of issues,” Misri said.
On a question about what role India could play in the post-conflict reconstruction of Gaza, he said, “We do see a role. What exactly that role will be depends on a little more clarity on how things will develop on the ground in Gaza. I am not going to speculate at this point in time on the exact areas in which we may come in, but India has very specific capabilities and capacities which would be of considerable relevance in a situation like the one we see on the ground in Gaza. We do have the capacity to contribute,” he added.
India, Israel ties have ‘stood test of time’
Several outcomes were finalised during the talks including in the areas of technology, science, trade, financial services, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, agriculture, blue economy, labour mobility, education and culture.
The outcomes included 17 memoranda of understanding or agreements, and 10 other announcements, including one on elevation of the relationship to special strategic partnership.
“Our ties have stood the test of time. Our economic cooperation continues to serve as an engine of growth, innovation, and shared prosperity. Last year, we signed a Bilateral Investment Agreement to promote mutual investments. We will also soon finalise a mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement,” Modi said at the press briefing.
The leaders asserted their commitment to realising the FTA and tasked the negotiating teams to expedite negotiations for an early conclusion, the statement said.
Technology lies at the heart of the future partnership between the two countries, Modi said.
“Today, we decided to establish a Critical and Emerging Technologies Partnership. This will impart fresh momentum to cooperation in areas such as AI, quantum technologies, and critical minerals,” the PM said at the media briefing.
India and Israel believe that this initiative on critical and emerging technologies, led by the national security advisors of both countries, will synergise their individual strengths in niche technologies, fostering a focused and futuristic partnership.
The joint statement said both leaders provided a vision and a road map for future defence cooperation, following the MoU signed last November to boost defence cooperation.
“We have enjoyed decades of trusted cooperation in the defence sector. The MoU signed last year will add new dimensions to this partnership. Together, we will advance towards joint development, joint production, and transfer of technology,” Modi said.
The MoU was signed in Tel Aviv last November to provide a unified vision and policy direction to deepen the already strong defence cooperation between the two countries; it will enable the sharing of advanced technology and promote the co-development and co-production of weapons and systems.
Modi said the two countries will further strengthen their cooperation in areas such as civil nuclear energy and space. The two leaders welcomed the ongoing collaboration between the Israel Space Agency (ISA) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), recognising the significant potential for Israeli space-based start-ups and companies to engage more deeply with their Indian counterparts.
They emphasised the importance of fostering greater cooperation between the two nations’ space industries, encouraging joint ventures, innovation partnerships, and knowledge exchange to drive progress in the global space sector,” the statement said.
“I am pleased that an agreement has been concluded to enable the use of UPI in Israel. We are also committed to improving the lives of our people by sharing our experiences in the field of digital health,” Modi said.
He touched upon agricultural cooperation between the two sides. “Agricultural cooperation between our two countries has a long and successful history. Today, we have resolved to give this cooperation a futuristic direction.
The Centres of Excellence in agriculture established in India with Israeli cooperation are a shining example of our friendship. We have set a target of increasing their number to 100 (from the current 43),” the PM said.
Creating Villages of Excellence in India is also in the works, he said.
“This initiative will bring Israeli technology to every village in India, significantly increasing the income and productivity of millions of farmers. We will also jointly develop future-ready farming solutions. The establishment of the India-Israel Innovation Centre for Agriculture in India will provide a strong foundation for advancing this cooperation.”
Modi described people-to-people ties as an important pillar of the India-Israel relationship, adding that through the 2023 Manpower Mobility Agreement, India has made significant contributions to Israel’s construction and care-giving sectors.
“This cooperation is being expanded to areas such as commerce and services. Connecting the youth, researchers, and innovators of both countries has been a key priority for us. Today, we are establishing the India-Israel Academic Forum,” the PM said. With an eye on promoting regional connectivity, the two sides will move with renewed momentum on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and the India-Israel-UAE-USA (I2U2) initiatives, he said.
Modi said India and Israel are unequivocal that terrorism has no place in the world and cannot be tolerated in any form. He added that New Delhi’s security interests are directly linked to peace and stability in West Asia.
“We have stood shoulder to shoulder in opposing terrorism and those who support it, and will continue to do so…From the very beginning, we have supported dialogue and a peaceful solution of issues. India’s position is clear — humanity must never become a victim of conflict. The Gaza Peace Plan has opened a pathway towards peace. India has extended its full support to these efforts. We will continue to engage in dialogue and cooperation with all countries,” Modi added.
The two leaders unequivocally and strongly condemned terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations including cross-border terrorism. They called for decisive and concerted international efforts to combat terrorism in a comprehensive and sustained manner, reaffirming their collective resolve to combat the menace as the leaders of two vibrant and resilient democracies.
“They strongly condemned the heinous October 7, 2023 terror attack on Israel, the savage terror attack on Indian tourists at Pahalgam in Jammu & Kashmir in India on April 22, 2025 and the terror incident near Red Fort, New Delhi on November 10, 2025,” the statement said.
Modi’s visit comes at a juncture when India seeks to create a formidable military capability to defend the country’s defence and civilian installations against aerial attacks and also hit back with overwhelming force under Mission Sudarshan Chakra, signalling the country’s intent to be ready for future battlefield challenges.
The PM announced Mission Sudarshan Chakra in his Independence Day address last year and set a 10-year deadline for developing the national defence shield, which is expected to integrate some Israeli technologies and missile systems.
Source : HT