India-Israel Elevate Ties to ‘Special Strategic Partnership’ During PM Modi’s 2026 Visit

India and Israel have elevated their bilateral relationship to a “Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation and Prosperity’ during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Israel from February 25-26, 2026. Visit was Hosted by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the visit marked a major diplomatic milestone which is building on PM Modi’s last 2017 Israel visit and Netanyahu’s 2018 India visit. The joint statement outlines deep cooperation in various sectors like defense, AI, cybersecurity, trade, agriculture, connectivity and people-to-people ties.

India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership 2026: A New Era Begins

• The leaders recalled earlier landmark visits in 2017 and 2018, which is laid the foundation for modern India and Israel ties.
• Now, in 2026 both countries have formally upgraded their relationship to a Special Strategic Partnership.
• This partnership focuses on peace, security and technological innovation.
• Israel will brings cutting-edge innovation and startup strength and while India offers scale, talent and manufacturing power.
• The aim is to combine these strengths in areas like AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, biotechnology, defense platforms and space technology.
• The partnership also supports India’s long-term development vision and Israel’s innovation-driven economy.

Defense and Security Cooperation

The leaders welcomed the November 4, 2025 MoU on Defense Cooperation and outlined a future roadmap.

Major focus areas,

• Advanced defense platforms
• Joint research and production
• Cyber and counter-terror cooperation
• Strategic dialogue mechanisms

Both sides strongly condemned terrorism, including the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and terror incidents in India in 2025, reaffirming zero tolerance.

AI, Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies

Technology cooperation is central to the Special Strategic Partnership.

Key initiatives include,

• MoU on Artificial Intelligence (AI) cooperation
• Establishment of an India-Israel Cyber Centre of Excellence
• Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (CET)
• Expansion of India-Israel Industrial R&D and Innovation Fund (I4F)
• Increased joint research funding from USD 1 million to USD 1.5 million each

Cooperation between Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and the Israel Space Agency (ISA) was also strengthened.

Trade, FTA Talks and UPI Linkage

Both leaders emphasized unlocking full trade potential.

Key economic developments,

• Signing of Terms of Reference for Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations
• India-Israel Bilateral Investment Agreement (September 2025)
• Launch of India-Israel Financial Dialogue
• MoU between NPCI International and MASAV to link UPI with Israel’s fast payment system

They also discussed the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and strengthening connectivity.

Agriculture, Water and Innovation in Sustainability

Agriculture and water cooperation remain cornerstones of India-Israel ties.

Highlights,

• 35 Centres of Excellence operational; 8 more being added
• Over 1 million Indian farmers trained
• MoU for India-Israel Innovation Centre for Agriculture (IINCA)
• Cooperation in fisheries and aquaculture
• Focus on desalination, wastewater reuse and river cleaning

Environmental cooperation includes climate action, circular economy and biodiversity protection.

People-to-People, Education and Workforce Mobility

The leaders agreed to expand safe mobility for Indian workers in Israel.

Key points,

• Up to 50,000 additional Indian workers over five years
• Expansion into manufacturing, services and restaurant sectors
• Strengthened Joint Coordination Committee

Education cooperation includes,

• MoU between Nalanda University and Hebrew University
• India-Israel Academic Cooperation Forum (I2I Forum)
• AI-driven education collaboration

16 New Agreements Signed

The visit concluded with 16 agreements, covering,

• AI cooperation
• Cyber Centre of Excellence
• Education and Cultural Exchange (2026–2029)
• Agricultural innovation
• Fisheries cooperation
• Geophysical exploration
• Maritime heritage collaboration (Lothal project)
• Financial and arbitration cooperation
• UPI payment linkage
• Worker mobility protocols

These agreements institutionalize cooperation across critical sectors.

Question

Q. During the 2026 visit, India and Israel upgraded their relationship to,

A. Comprehensive Economic Partnership
B. Strategic Alliance
C. Special Strategic Partnership
D. Defense Pact