Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar to visit India this week

New Delhi: Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar will visit India this week to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and external affairs minister S Jaishankar. He will discuss bilateral initiatives, including in technology, defence and regional development, among other issues, officials told ET.

Sa'ar's official visit to India will last for two days, according to sources. He will be the latest member of Israel's top leadership to travel to India amid the ongoing Gaza crisis.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is proposed to visit India next month, Defence Minister Yoav Katz in January-February 2026, and President Isaac Herzog in the first half of 2026.


There have been several high-profile visits from Israeli leaders over the last two years, with recent ones, including those of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Minister of Economy Nir Barkat, Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter, and Tourism Minister Haim Katz.

During Smotrich's visit in September, a bilateral investment treaty was signed to promote investments and assure investors. The treaty also provides for protection to investments from expropriation, compensation for losses, transparency and transfers.

Barkat was here with a large economic delegation.

Israel has also been seeking India's help in overcoming a shortage of workers in various sectors. The number of Indians working in Israel now stands at about 40,000 and there are plans to increase this.

Jaishankar and Sa'ar met on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference this year and, among other issues, discussed US President Donald Trump's proposal of connecting Asia, Europe and the US through Israel. The India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor will also figure on the agenda of Sa'ar's visit.