New Delhi, Aug 2026: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the phone, with the two leaders reviewing progress in the India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership and exchanging views on the prevailing situation in West Asia.
Taking to X after the conversation, Modi said the bilateral partnership between India and Israel continued to strengthen across various areas. He said the two leaders also discussed developments in West Asia and agreed to remain in close contact.
“Received a phone call from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. We reviewed progress on various aspects of the India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership which continues to grow from strength-to-strength. We also exchanged views on the current situation in West Asia,” Modi posted.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the two leaders reviewed sustained progress in the special strategic partnership and reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation across several sectors for the mutual benefit of both countries.
“The two leaders agreed to remain in touch,” the PMO said.
The latest conversation comes amid continuing developments and heightened geopolitical tensions in West Asia, making regular diplomatic engagement between India and Israel significant for both sides.
India and Israel have steadily expanded their relationship beyond traditional areas of cooperation, with emerging technologies, defence, cybersecurity, agriculture, water management, healthcare and entrepreneurship becoming important pillars of the partnership.
The two countries had further strengthened their strategic engagement during Prime Minister Modi’s State Visit to Israel in February, when he travelled to the country with a high-level delegation of senior ministers and officials following an invitation from Netanyahu.
During that visit, Modi and Netanyahu recalled their earlier meetings, including Modi’s historic visit to Israel in 2017 and Netanyahu’s visit to India in 2018. The two leaders noted the substantial progress achieved in bilateral ties across multiple sectors.
They also agreed to elevate the relationship to a new level by establishing a “Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation and Prosperity.”
The partnership is aimed at combining the complementary strengths of the two economies. Israel has established itself as a global centre for technology and innovation, while India brings significant strengths in talent, manufacturing, entrepreneurship and its expanding technology ecosystem.
The two sides have expressed their intention to deepen cooperation in strategic and emerging fields, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, semiconductors, quantum computing, biotechnology, agriculture, water management, defence and space exploration.
The India-Israel Joint Statement issued in February said enhanced cooperation in these areas would contribute to technological transformation and shared economic growth.
The partnership also aligns with India’s broader objectives of building an Atmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat 2047, while creating opportunities for Israeli innovation and Indian manufacturing and entrepreneurial capabilities to work together.
Thursday’s phone call underscored the continued high-level political engagement between New Delhi and Tel Aviv as the two countries seek to further expand their strategic cooperation while closely monitoring developments in West Asia.
Team Maverick
