4 high-profile Israeli leaders, including Netanyahu, to visit India over next 4 months: Report

In a significant bilateral development between India and Israel, a string of high-level visits has been planned over the coming months, which will see Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Gideon Saar, and  Defense Minister Yoav Katz flying to New Delhi. Israeli officials describe the visits as “warming of strategic relations” between the two nations.

The first of the visits will be by Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, which will happen in early November, Israeli media i24 quoted unnamed diplomatic sources. This will be followed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in  December.  

Netanyahu is expected to visit both Mumbai and Ahmedabad, a personal gesture from Netanyahu to display his affection for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is said that Modi has personally invited Netanyahu to the AI ​​conference in February in Delhi.

Sources familiar with Netanyahu’s upcoming trip say he is expected to be received with “royal honors”, a symbolic gesture reflecting Modi’s personal commitment to bilateral ties. The visit comes at a sensitive moment for Israel, which faces growing diplomatic isolation in parts of the West over the war in Gaza. Israel is now turning its eyes eastward, to a trading partner with tremendous economic potential.

Netanyahu's visit will be followed by the Defence Minister, Israel Katz. This is likely to happen in January or February. India will also play host to Israeli President Isaac Herzog in the first quarter of next year.  

According to the report, the renewed momentum in improving bilateral relations lies on “Modi’s outspoken support for Israel since the Hamas attacks of October 7, shared concerns over terrorism and Islamic radicalisation, and India’s ongoing security tensions with Pakistan.“ These common interests have strengthened the strategic partnership between Jerusalem and New Delhi, particularly in defense, technology, and energy cooperation.