Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day standalone visit to Israel on February 25 and 26, 2026, is India’s most significant diplomatic engagement with West Asia in recent years. This is Mr. Modi’s second visit to Israel, coming against the backdrop of a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, growing U.S.-Iran tensions, India’s recently concluded trade agreements with the EU and the U.S., and Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu’s announcement of a proposed hexagonal alliance involving India, Greece, Cyprus, and Arab, African, and Asian nations. The visit has profound implications for India’s defence procurement, technology cooperation, trade relations, the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), and India’s traditionally balanced foreign policy in West Asia.
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Five Important Key Points
- The visit is standalone, with no engagement with Palestinian Authority leadership, reflecting India’s successful de-hyphenation of its Israel engagement from its Palestinian policy.
- Key agenda items include defence cooperation (including Iron Beam laser defence system), AI and technology, labour mobility, and the IMEC project.
- Netanyahu proposed a hexagonal alliance of nations against radical Shia and Sunni axes, which creates diplomatic challenges for India given its deep ties with Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
- India’s visit follows the Gaza ceasefire that held since October 2025, but coincides with Israel’s plans to extend control over Palestinian territories in the West Bank, drawing international condemnation.
- India-Israel bilateral trade stood at $3.75 billion in FY2024-25, and negotiations are underway for a Free Trade Agreement, the Terms of Reference for which were signed during Commerce Minister Goyal’s November 2025 visit to Israel.
Background: India-Israel Relations
India recognised Israel in 1950 but maintained a largely distant relationship for decades, driven by solidarity with the Palestinian cause, dependence on Arab oil, and the large Indian Muslim population’s sensitivities. The establishment of full diplomatic relations in 1992 marked the beginning of a transformation. Since then, and particularly after Prime Minister Modi’s historic first visit to Israel in July 2017 (the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister), the relationship has deepened substantially into a strategic partnership.
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Israel has been India’s largest defence supplier in terms of arms exports, accounting for approximately 34% of Israel’s total arms exports between 2020 and 2024 according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Joint development projects such as the Barak-8 air and missile defence system exemplify the depth of defence cooperation.
Convergence on Defence and Security
India’s experience during Operation Sindoor in May 2025 underlined the strategic necessity of a robust, multi-layered air defence system. The Iron Beam, a 100 kW-class high-energy laser system capable of intercepting drones, rockets, and mortars at low per-shot costs, has emerged as a priority for India’s Mission Sudarshan Chakra, aimed at creating an impregnable air defence shield. The Modi visit is expected to advance procurement and co-production discussions on the Iron Beam.
The logic of India-Israel defence convergence is compelling. Both nations face asymmetric threats from non-state actors, both have invested heavily in drone technology and counter-drone capabilities, and both share intelligence on terrorist networks. The November 2025 agreement on deepening cooperation in defence industry and technology, including sharing of advanced systems, provides the framework for further integration during this visit.
The Hexagonal Alliance Proposal and India’s Dilemma
Netanyahu’s announcement of a hexagonal alliance against what he called the radical Shia axis and the emerging radical Sunni axis places India in an uncomfortable diplomatic position. India’s foreign policy is built on strategic autonomy, non-alignment with military blocs, and maintaining balanced relationships with all major powers.
Iran is a critical partner for India in multiple dimensions. The Chabahar port in Iran provides India’s most strategic connectivity corridor to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan. India has historically imported Iranian oil, and Iran’s geographic position makes it indispensable for India’s energy security and connectivity goals. India is also expected to host the BRICS summit later in 2026, where Iranian President Pezeshkian will be invited.
Joining any alliance framed explicitly against Iran would fundamentally compromise India’s Chabahar strategy, its energy diversification goals, and its role as a neutral facilitator in the region. The Ministry of External Affairs is likely to clearly signal that India endorses stronger bilateral ties with Israel without endorsing any multilateral alliance framework targeting specific nations.
The IMEC and Economic Dimensions
The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, announced at the G-20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023, is a transformative infrastructure project linking India to Europe through the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel. The Gaza conflict temporarily stalled the initiative, but with the ceasefire holding, there is renewed momentum to advance it.
India’s recently concluded FTA with the EU (signed January 27, 2026) and the interim trade framework with the U.S. (February 2026) create powerful incentives for operationalising IMEC, which would provide a shorter, safer alternative to the Suez Canal route for Indian exports to Europe. The signing of the Terms of Reference for a bilateral India-Israel FTA indicates that trade is becoming a more prominent pillar of the relationship alongside defence.
Gaza Peace Process and India’s Role
India’s participation as an observer at the U.S.-led Board of Peace summit on February 19, 2026, signals a cautious engagement with the Gaza reconstruction process without committing troops or taking sides. India’s historic recognition of Palestine on November 18, 1988, and its consistent support for a two-state solution place it in a morally complex position during a visit that makes no provision for meeting Palestinian Authority leadership.
India’s delayed signing of the UN statement signed by 100 countries criticising Israel’s violations of international law over West Bank expansion plans has raised questions about the consistency of Indian foreign policy. The government’s explanation that the statement was not jointly negotiated has not fully satisfied observers.
Way Forward
India’s West Asia policy must evolve to reflect the region’s increasing complexity. A clear, publicly articulated framework distinguishing bilateral partnerships from multilateral alliance commitments would help India maintain its credibility as a neutral actor. Deepening defence, technology, and trade ties with Israel while maintaining transparent engagement with Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the Palestinian Authority is achievable but requires careful diplomatic management.
Relevance for UPSC and SSC Examinations
This topic is ideal for UPSC Mains GS-II (International Relations), covering India’s foreign policy, India-Israel relations, West Asian diplomacy, and strategic autonomy. Questions on IMEC, India’s de-hyphenation policy, and India’s relationship with Israel and Palestine are examination-ready. For UPSC Essay, themes of India’s strategic autonomy in a multipolar world are directly relevant. SSC aspirants should note India’s recognition of Israel, SIPRI data on arms exports, and the IMEC project.