Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Israel for two days from February 25 to 26, according to sources. The visit was first announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while he was speaking at the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organisations in Jerusalem on February 15.
During his speech, Mr. Netanyahu told the gathering that Mr. Modi would be visiting Israel soon and that an address to Parliament was being planned. His announcement officially confirmed the upcoming high-level visit.
According to officials, most of the programmes during the 24-hour visit will include both leaders together. Mr. Netanyahu is expected to personally receive Mr. Modi at the airport in Tel Aviv, similar to the warm welcome he gave during Mr. Modi’s earlier visit in July 2017. The two leaders are likely to travel together to Jerusalem.
The visit will include bilateral talks between the two Prime Ministers, followed by press statements on February 26. Mr. Modi is also scheduled to address the Israeli Parliament, known as the Knesset. In addition, the leaders will attend a private dinner and an innovation event highlighting cooperation in technology and start-ups.
Mr. Modi is also expected to visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial museum in Jerusalem, where world leaders usually pay tribute to victims of the Holocaust. There may also be a meeting with members of the Indian-origin Jewish community living in Israel.
During the visit, Mr. Modi is likely to discuss important bilateral matters such as defence cooperation, technology partnerships, agriculture, trade, and regional security issues. The visit comes at a time of changing geopolitical developments in West Asia, making the discussions between the two leaders significant for both countries.
The trip is expected to further strengthen India-Israel relations, which have grown steadily over the past decade in areas such as defence, innovation, water management, and agriculture.