Narendra Modi on Wednesday became the first Indian prime minister to address the parliament of Israel, marking a historic moment in bilateral relations. However, the ceremonial opening at the Israeli Knesset was overshadowed by Israel’s deepening internal political divisions. A protocol dispute erupted after Speaker Amir Ohana excluded Supreme Court President Isaac Amit from the special legislative session honouring Modi. The decision reflected ongoing tensions between Netanyahu’s governing coalition and the judiciary. Following Amit’s election as court president in January last year, Justice Minister Yariv Levin refused to recognise his authority, resulting in his exclusion from several traditional state ceremonies, including addresses by visiting world leaders.
In protest, opposition lawmakers, including members of Yesh Atid and Yisrael Beytenu, staged a coordinated walkout during speeches by Ohana and Netanyahu. Yesh Atid MK Yasmin Fridman said the boycott was necessary because the current Knesset was “trampling” its own members and refusing to observe established norms. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid had earlier warned that excluding the head of the judiciary would turn the event into “a Knesset of half the country, without proper governance”. Not all opposition figures joined the protest fully. Benny Gantz and his Blue and White party remained in the chamber during Netanyahu’s remarks.
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Anticipating empty seats during the internationally televised session, Ohana and coalition officials moved swiftly to limit what they feared would be a visual embarrassment. Former legislators, including figures affiliated with Netanyahu’s Likud party, were contacted and brought into the chamber to occupy vacated opposition seats. Ohana accused the opposition of deploying an “illegitimate” tactic in an internal struggle and of harming Israeli-Indian relations for domestic political gain.
The boycotting lawmakers returned to the plenum for Modi’s address, signalling that their protest was directed at the government rather than at India. Lapid greeted Modi with a handshake and assured him the walkout had “nothing to do with you”, affirming his admiration for both Modi’s leadership and the India-Israel partnership.
Taking the podium, Modi offered condolences for the victims of the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, condemning them unequivocally as “barbaric”. “No cause can justify the murder of civilians,” he said, adding that “nothing can justify terrorism”. India, he declared, stood firmly with Israel in its fight against extremism. At the same time, Modi expressed support for the Gaza peace initiative endorsed by the UN Security Council, calling it a pathway to a “just and durable peace for all the people of the region, including by addressing the Palestine issue”. It was clearly a balancing act, reflecting India’s burgeoning ties with Israel, but also maintaining its traditional support for the Palestinian cause.
Addressing the parliament, Modi compared Jewish and Indian traditions, such as Tikkun Olam—the Jewish principle of repairing the world—and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the idea that the world is one family. He also spoke about the similarities between Hanukkah and Diwali, and between Purim and Holi, framing the relationship as one grounded in strategic civilisational linkages. Modi told the Knesset about India’s record as a sanctuary for Jewish communities. He referenced the role of Indian soldiers in the Battle of Haifa during World War I and paid tribute to the Jam Saheb of Nawanagar, who sheltered Jewish children during the Holocaust.
Netanyahu responded warmly, describing Modi as “more than a friend, a brother” and praising him for standing by Israel in turbulent times. He pledged to forge what he termed an “iron alliance” against “extremist Islam”. Earlier, Netanyahu and his wife Sara received Modi at the airport, in a break of established protocol. In a ceremonial gesture, Ohana presented Modi with the newly established Medal of the Knesset, honouring his contributions to the State of Israel and the Jewish people.
The visit also prompted criticism within India. Congress politician Imran Masood and CPI(M) general secretary M. A. Baby condemned Modi’s embrace of Israel, calling it a betrayal of India’s anti-colonial legacy. They urged him to speak more forcefully about the civilian toll in Gaza and the deaths of Palestinian children.
Defence and security remain central to the bilateral relationship. India has emerged as Israel’s largest arms buyer, spending an estimated $20.5 billion on Israeli weapons between 2020 and 2024. During the visit, Modi was expected to advance negotiations on a major order of Israeli-made missile systems. The two countries already collaborate on joint production of drones and missiles and are exploring deeper cooperation on sensitive defence technologies.
Economic ties are also expanding. Bilateral trade reached $3.9 billion in 2024 and is projected to rise to around $5 billion in 2025, spanning goods, services and diamonds. Israeli negotiators have initiated discussions on a potential free trade agreement aimed at unlocking greater access to India’s rapidly growing market.
Beyond defence and trade, Modi highlighted cooperation in artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and semiconductors, as well as cross-border financial linkages using Digital Public Infrastructure. He cited the iCreate Technology Business Incubator, launched jointly with Netanyahu in 2018, as an example of combining India’s demographic scale with Israel’s start-up ecosystem.
A key geopolitical pillar is the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, linking India to Europe through the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel’s port of Haifa, partly acquired by India’s Adani Group. Agricultural collaboration has also flourished, with 43 Centres of Excellence across India training more than half a million farmers in precision irrigation techniques under the “Per Drop, More Crop” initiative. Modi proposed expanding the network to 100 centres.