PM Modi's second visit to Israel set to upgrade strategic ties

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a two-day visit to Israel beginning Wednesday to shore up bilateral defence and trade cooperation amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle-east including deteriorating ties between the US and Iran.

Modi's engagements will include his address to Israel's parliament, wide-ranging talks with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and a meeting with President Isaac Herzog.

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It is learnt that boosting overall defence and security cooperation between the two sides will be a major area of discussions during delegation level talks involving the two prime ministers on Thursday.

Netanyahu is scheduled to host a private dinner for Modi on Wednesday night.

It will be Modi's second visit to Israel in nine years. The India-Israel relationship was elevated to the level of strategic partnership during Modi's first visit to that country in July, 2017.

Netanyahu had made a return visit to India in January 2018. India and Israel share a robust strategic partnership with strong cooperation across science and technology, innovation, defence and security, trade and investment, agriculture, water, and people-to-people relations.

In their talks, the two prime ministers are also likely to deliberate on the prevailing situation in the Middle-East including in Gaza.

Following the outbreak of the Israel-Iran conflict in June last, Netanyahu and Modi spoke twice on the phone.

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On October 9, Modi dialled Netanyahu and congratulated him on the progress made under President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan.

There has been an upswing in the India-Israel ties in the last few years including in the areas of defence, scientific research, cybersecurity and innovation.

The defence cooperation has emerged as an important pillar of the partnership between the two sides with Israel supplying a plethora of military platforms and weapon systems to India.

Last November, during the visit of India's defence secretary to Israel, an important agreement on defence cooperation was signed.

As India is looking at developing an indigenous air defence sheild called "Sudarshan Chakra", it is learnt that New Delhi would like to explore the possibility of incorporating certain elements from Israel's Iron Dome all-weather air defence system that can intercept and destroy missiles and artillery shells.

The trade and investment ties between the two sides are also witnessing steady progress.

During the visit to Israel of Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in November, the term of reference (ToR) for the launch of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between India and Israel was signed.

In September, the two sides had inked a Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIA) to expand economic cooperation.

The people-to-people ties between the two countries are also an important aspect of the overall relations with over 41,000-strong Indian diaspora playing a key role in the two-way engagement.

In November 2023, India and Israel signed a bilateral framework agreement to facilitate the temporary and legal employment of Indian workers in Israel.

Since then, 20,000 Indians arrived in Israel, both under the Government-to-Government route and through private channels, according to officials.