India, Israel Elevate Ties to Special Strategic Partnership After Modi–Netanyahu Talks
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held wide-ranging bilateral talks in Jerusalem on Thursday, announcing the elevation of relations to an “India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation and Prosperity”. The discussions covered technology, artificial intelligence, defence cooperation, trade, labour mobility and education.
Senior Indian officials including External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval attended the meeting. According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, both sides agreed to deepen collaboration in science, emerging technologies and agricultural research while expanding workforce mobility for Indian professionals.
Key outcomes included elevating the Joint Committee on Science and Technology to the ministerial level and launching an initiative on critical and emerging technologies led by the two countries’ national security advisors. The partners also announced financial dialogue mechanisms, a tech-gateway initiative and 20 joint fellowships in agricultural research.
Labour mobility quotas will be expanded to allow up to 50,000 Indian workers over five years. Both countries plan to establish an academic cooperation forum and a parliamentary friendship group.
Several MoUs were exchanged, covering geophysical exploration, fisheries, cyber cooperation, artificial intelligence in education, financial regulation, and agricultural innovation. Agreements also included UPI collaboration through NPCI International and the creation of an India-Israel Innovation Centre for Agriculture.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the talks as comprehensive, noting that both leaders reviewed the entire bilateral relationship and regional developments. Officials highlighted innovation-led growth as a central pillar of future cooperation.
The upgraded partnership signals a shift toward technology-driven diplomacy, with AI, cybersecurity and critical minerals emerging as strategic priorities. The expansion of labour mobility and academic ties reflects a broader push to integrate economic cooperation with knowledge exchange.
During the visit, Modi also paid tribute at the Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Center, marking his second visit to the memorial since 2017. As his two-day state visit continues, the new framework is expected to shape long-term collaboration across defence, innovation and economic sectors.
Our Final Thoughts
The decision to upgrade India-Israel relations reflects the growing importance of technology partnerships in global diplomacy. With cooperation expanding beyond defence into AI, agriculture, fintech and academic exchange, both countries appear focused on building resilient innovation ecosystems. The agreements on labour mobility and research collaboration could create new opportunities for Indian professionals and startups while strengthening Israel’s role as a technology partner. The visit also reinforces continuity in bilateral engagement that has intensified over the past decade. The long-term impact will depend on how quickly announced initiatives move from MoUs to implementation across industry and research sectors.