Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day State visit to Israel on Wednesday, leading Israeli daily The Jerusalem Post rolled out a prominent front-page welcome headlined, “Welcome, Modi” and “Namaste: Two Ancient Nations Open a New Chapter.”
The newspaper featured a photograph of the PM Modi waving, alongside in-depth coverage of India’s expanding partnership with Israel and the evolving strategic ties between the two nations. Editor-in-Chief Zvika Klein shared the front page, highlighting the significance accorded to the visit.
Describing the trip as a defining diplomatic moment, the publication noted that while Israel has long regarded India as an important friend, the time has come to elevate New Delhi to a top-tier strategic priority. “The relationship has trust, history, and political chemistry,” the paper said, urging both sides to scale up implementation to match their shared potential.
PM Modi’s visit, at the invitation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, marks his second trip to Israel after his landmark 2017 visit – the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister. That historic visit, including his arrival at Ben-Gurion Airport, was widely seen as a diplomatic breakthrough that opened new avenues in defence, agriculture, water management and innovation.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), PM Modi’s discussions with Netanyahu are aimed at further strengthening cooperation across various domains, including science and technology, innovation, agriculture, water management, technology, defence and security, trade and investment, as well as people-to-people ties. He will also exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest.
PM Modi is also scheduled to meet Israeli President Isaac Herzog, underscoring the high-level political engagement between the two democracies.
First Indian PM to Address the Knesset
A key highlight of the visit will be PM Modi becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to address the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset. In his departure statement, PM Modi described the occasion as a tribute to the strong parliamentary and democratic ties binding the two countries.
India’s Ambassador to Israel, J.P. Singh, termed the visit “very historic,” noting that it comes after nearly nine years since the last prime ministerial-level visit. In an interview with The Jerusalem Post, Singh said the trip would mark the beginning of a “new phase” and a “new chapter” in bilateral ties.
He emphasised that the aim is to broaden and deepen cooperation beyond traditional sectors to include financial collaboration, trade expansion, cross-border payments and advanced technology partnerships.
A ‘Historic’ Visit Amid Geopolitical Shifts
Netanyahu described the visit as “historic,” calling PM Modi a “dear friend” and highlighting the growing strategic alignment between the two nations. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said the India-Israel partnership represents a “powerful alliance between two global leaders” committed to innovation, security and stability.
(With agency inputs)
