'We Are Personal Friends': Netanyahu Says PM Modi's Visit to Israel Will 'Tighten' Relations, Advance Anti-Radical Alliance Efforts

Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has lauded the rapidly "tightening" relationship between Israel and India, describing it as a pillar of a new regional security architecture. The remarks come as Jerusalem prepares to host Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a high-stakes, two-day visit beginning Wednesday, February 25.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu emphasized that the upcoming summit--PM Modi’s second trip to the country following his historic 2017 visit--would serve to solidify bilateral ties across several critical sectors.

A Hexagon of Alliances

Netanyahu detailed a strategic vision that places India at the center of a broader network of global partnerships. He described a "kind of hexagon of alliances around or within the Middle East" that seeks to bridge regional and global powers.

"In the vision that I see before my eyes, we will create a complete system... This includes India, this includes Arab countries, this also includes African countries, also countries in the Mediterranean—Greece and Cyprus—and also countries in Asia," Netanyahu said.

The Israeli Prime Minister characterized this coalition as a necessary counterbalance to regional instability.

"The intention here is to create an axis of countries that see the reality and the challenges and the goals with one eye, in contrast to the radical axes," he stated, specifically citing the threats posed by both radical Shiite and Sunni movements.

Economic and Security Cooperation

The visit is expected to produce a series of formal agreements designed to deepen cooperation between the two governments. Netanyahu confirmed that the agenda will focus on:

-Joint efforts in defence and counter-terrorism.

-Economic & Political Ties: Strengthening trade and diplomatic alignment.

-A specific push into Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Quantum computing.

"I say in AI and quantum not because it is the future, it is the present," Netanyahu noted, adding that both nations aspire to remain among the world leaders in these emerging fields.

A "Special Relationship"

Netanyahu also touched upon the personal rapport he shares with the PM Modi, characterizing the bond as instrumental to the two nations' diplomatic success.

"We are personal friends, we speak frequently on the phone, we visit each other," Netanyahu said during the cabinet meeting.

"This week, we expressed the special relationship that has developed over the past few years between Israel and the global power India, and between me and its leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.

PM Modi’s itinerary includes a speech at the Knesset, an innovation event in Jerusalem, and a joint visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial. The visit marks exactly nine years since the 2017 trip, which was the first ever by a sitting Indian prime minister to the Jewish state.

(With inputs from AP)

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