Tel Aviv/New Delhi, Feb 22 (.) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to arrive in Israel on Wednesday for a high-profile visit aimed at strengthening political, economic and security cooperation between the two countries, while advancing a broader regional alliance strategy, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said.
Speaking at the start of a government meeting, PM Netanyahu described the Israel–India relationship as “historic” and said Modi’s visit would mark another step in deepening ties between Jerusalem and New Delhi.
PM Modi is scheduled to deliver a speech at the Knesset, take part in an innovation event in Jerusalem, and visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial, Israeli media reports said.
Netanyahu highlighted what he described as a close personal relationship with Modi, noting frequent communication and reciprocal visits in recent years.
“The fabric of relations has become tighter, and he is coming here so that we can tighten it even more,” Netanyahu said, pointing to expanded cooperation between governments and national institutions.
Netanyahu said the visit would focus on deepening collaboration in high-tech sectors, including artificial intelligence and quantum technologies. “This is not the future, this is the present,” Netanyahu said, adding that Israel aims to be among the world’s leading countries in these fields.
Beyond bilateral ties, Netanyahu framed Modi’s visit within a broader geopolitical vision.
He said Israel is seeking to build a network, which he described as a “hexagon of alliances,” involving India, Arab states, African countries, Mediterranean partners such as Greece and Cyprus, and additional Asian nations.
The goal, he said, is to form an axis of countries with shared views on regional challenges, countering what he described as radical Shiite and Sunni blocs in the Middle East.
“The intention here is to create an axis of countries that see reality, the challenges, and the goals in the same way, in contrast to the radical axes,” he said.
“Both the radical Shiite axis, which we have hit very hard, and also the emerging axis — the radical Sunni axis. All these countries share a different outlook, and cooperation between us can yield very great fruits and, of course, also ensure our strength and our future.”
Modi is set to address the Knesset on Wednesday afternoon at 4:30 p.m., and both leaders will visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial, and attend an innovation event in Jerusalem.
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