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India and Israel on Thursday declared themselves a “special strategic partnership” after signing 16 new agreements, the two countries announced in a joint statement on Thursday.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel this week. Representatives from the two countries held working meetings this week to discuss agreements related to security, agriculture, water, development and labour.
“This is a wonderful trip. A wonderful conclusion to a wonderful trip,” Netanyahu said alongside Modi. “It was small, but also exceptionally productive and exceptionally dynamic.”
“The future belongs to those who innovate, and Israel and India are bent on innovation. We are proud of ancient civilizations, very proud of our past, but we are also deeply committed to achieving our future and we can do it better together.” He added.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in New Delhi, India on February 25, 2026. (Photo by Press Information Bureau (PIB)/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The two countries ultimately signed 16 agreements on a range of topics, including artificial intelligence, cultural exchange, agriculture and energy, with Netanyahu saying they were still working on more “concrete” agreements.
“This friendship is built on the deep foundation of democratic and human values,” Modi said. As translated by Israel’s Ynet News. “Our relations have stood the test of time. Today we have taken a historic decision to elevate our long-standing partnership to a Special Strategic Partnership, which embodies the aspirations of both our peoples.”
This surge in relations has come when America and Israel have increased tensions with Iran. The US has built up a massive military buildup in the region and Netanyahu discussed Iran with President Donald Trump during a visit to the White House earlier this month.
Trump’s envoys Witkoff and Jared Kushner are in Geneva to closely monitor Iran talks
President Donald Trump bid farewell to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he left the White House. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Trump said Wednesday he wanted to resolve tensions with Iran through diplomacy, but he also accused Tehran of expanding its missile capabilities.
“They have already developed missiles that can threaten our bases in Europe and abroad,” he said. “And they are working on building missiles that will soon reach the United States.”
“My priority is to resolve this problem through diplomacy,” Trump said. “They want to make a deal. But we haven’t heard these secret words: We will never have nuclear weapons.”
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“But one thing is for sure, I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror…to have nuclear weapons. Cannot let that happen.”
Fox News’ Efrat Lacher contributed to this report.
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