Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded a landmark two-day state visit to Israel, during which India and Israel elevated their bilateral relationship to a Special Strategic Partnership . The visit, PM Modi’s first to Israel in nine years, saw the signing of 27 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) across a wide spectrum of sectors including defence, technology, agriculture, trade, innovation, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing .
Major Deals and Strategic Announcements
PM Modi held extensive talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reviewing existing collaborations and exploring new areas for cooperation . A significant announcement was the intention to finalize a mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement (FTA) soon . Additionally, both leaders established a Critical and Emerging Technology Partnership to deepen collaboration in high-tech and innovation domains .
The discussions also covered regional security, with PM Modi reaffirming India’s support for the Gaza peace plan . A notable non-military agreement included a pact to enable the use of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in Israel, marking a step forward in financial technology cooperation .
A Meeting of Cultures: The ‘Fauda’ Selfie
Beyond the diplomatic formalities, a key cultural moment of the visit was PM Modi’s meeting with the cast and creators of the globally acclaimed Israeli television series ‘Fauda’ .
Sharing a selfie from the interaction on social media, PM Modi quipped: “Thankfully, this interaction required only a selfie, no undercover work!” . The cast included creators Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff, and actors Tzachi Levi and Aki Avni .
Lior Raz, who also stars in the show, called it a “huge honour” and acknowledged the massive Indian audience for their work . He expressed a desire for future collaborations, recalling the series’ Netflix premiere in India at the Goa Film Festival . The meeting reflected the growing cultural engagement between the two countries, with a shared interest in exploring joint production projects .
Engaging with the Diaspora and Legacy
PM Modi also made a point to engage with the Indian diaspora during his visit, praising their contribution to strengthening people-to-people ties . He had earlier addressed a special plenary session of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, where he was conferred with the ‘Speaker of the Knesset Medal’ .
