Modi gets red carpet welcome in Israel
JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Israel on Wednesday to a red-carpet welcome with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and wife Sara receiving the Indian leader at the Ben Gurion airport.
It is PM Modi’s second visit to Israel in nine years.
The India-Israel relationship was elevated to the level of strategic partnership during his first visit to that country in July 2017.
Netanyahu greeted the Indian prime minister with a warm hug, following which Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the airport, located 20 kilometres southeast of Tel Aviv.
In a historic address to Knesset, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday described the Gaza Peace Initiative as a path for “just and durable peace” in the entire region even as he delivered a powerful message of solidarity to Israel, asserting that “terrorism anywhere threatens peace everywhere”.
Modi said like Israel, India has a “consistent and uncompromising policy of zero tolerance for terrorism with no double standards” and called for sustained and coordinated global efforts to counter the menace.
The prime minister’s address to the Knesset, Israel’s house of representatives, came hours after he landed in the country to a rousing welcome with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu along with HIS wife Sara receiving him at the Ben Gurion airport.
“I also carry with me the deepest condolences of the people of India for every life lost and for every family whose world was shattered in the barbaric terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7 (2023),” Modi said.
“We feel your pain. We share your grief. India stands with Israel, firmly, with full conviction, in this moment, and beyond. No cause can justify the murder of civilians. Nothing can justify terrorism,” he said.
Marking the first-ever speech by an Indian prime minister to the Knesset, Modi showed India’s strong resolve to combat terrorism with full force.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and several other senior leaders were among the parliamentarians who attended the event.
“India has also endured the pain of terrorism for a long time. We remember the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and the innocent lives lost, including Israeli citizens. Like you, we have a consistent and uncompromising policy of zero tolerance for terrorism, with no double standards,” he said.
“Terrorism aims to destabilise societies, to block development, and to erode trust. Countering terrorism requires sustained and coordinated global action, because terror anywhere threatens peace everywhere.”
“That is why India supports all efforts that contribute to durable peace and regional stability,” he noted.
The prime also delved into the evolving situation in the Middle East and referred to Israel signing the Abraham Accords with a number of countries a few years back.
“It was a moment of new hope for a long-troubled region. Since then, the situation has changed significantly. The path is even more challenging. Yet it is important to sustain that hope,” he said.
In the current context, Modi explicitly backed the Gaza Peace Initiative, describing the UN Security Council-endorsed plan as the definitive path toward a “just and durable peace” for the entire region.
“The Gaza Peace Initiative that was endorsed by the UN Security Council offers a pathway. India has expressed its firm support for the initiative,” Modi said.
“We believe that it holds the promise of a just and durable peace for all the people of the region, including by addressing the Palestine issue,” he said.
“Let all our efforts be guided by wisdom, courage, and humanity. The road to peace is not always easy. But India joins you and the world for dialogue, peace and stability in this region,” he added.
The prime minister said that there is great admiration in India for Israel’s “resolve, courage, and achievements”.
“Long before we related to each other as modern states, we were linked by ties that go back more than two thousand years,” he said.
Modi said India and Israel are “democracies shaped by history and focused on the future”.
“Our partnership is grounded in shared experience and shared aspirations. Our strong partnership not only serves national interests but also contributes to global stability and prosperity,” he said.
Highlighting robust ties between the two countries, Modi said, “In today’s uncertain world, a strong defence partnership between trusted partners like India and Israel is of vital importance.”
The prime minister also highlighted India’s economic growth as well as Israel’s technological prowess.
“For the last few years, India has been the fastest-growing major economy in the world. Soon, we will be among the top three economies globally,” he said.
“At the same time, Israel is a powerhouse of innovation and technological leadership. This creates a natural foundation for a forward-looking partnership.”
“We are committed to expanding trade, strengthening investment flows, and promoting joint infrastructure development,” he added.
Modi said the bilateral investment treaty signed by the two sides last year will provide confidence and predictability to businesses.
“In the last few years, India has concluded a number of important trade agreements with other nations. To your West, the European Union, and the UK. To your East, the UAE and Oman,” he said.
The prime minister said India-Israel bilateral goods trade has grown manifold in recent years.
At the same time, he noted that it does not reflect the “full scope of opportunity”.
“That is why our teams are working hard to negotiate an ambitious Free Trade Agreement. It will unlock the vast untapped potential in our trade relationship,” he said.
“Israel is often called the ‘start-up nation’. In recent years, we have also been working to unlock the innovation and creativity of our youth,” Modi said.
“I recall that in 2018, Prime Minister Netanyahu and I inaugurated the iCreate Technology Business Incubator in India. Since then, it has supported nearly 900 such start-ups,” he said.
Modi said India and Israel will also work closely in different formats, such as the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor and the I2U2 framework between India, Israel, the UAE and the US.
“Defence and Security is another important pillar of our partnership. In November last year, we signed an MoU on Defence Cooperation. In today’s uncertain world, a strong defence partnership between trusted partners like India and Israel is of vital importance,” he said.
