Red-Carpet Reset: Benjamin Netanyahu, Wife Sara To Welcome PM Modi At Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport | Exclusive

Last Updated:February 25, 2026, 01:31 IST

This personal touch by Netanyahu underscores the deep rapport between the two leaders and highlights Israel’s perception of India as an indispensable global ally

PM Narendra Modi with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (File pic/Reuters)

In a powerful testament to the burgeoning alliance between New Delhi and Jerusalem, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to receive an unprecedented welcome as he begins his two-day state visit to Israel on Wednesday, CNN-News18 has learnt. In a rare, protocol-breaking gesture, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, will personally receive PM Modi at Ben Gurion Airport, sources said. This high-profile reception mirrors the extraordinary hospitality extended during Modi’s landmark 2017 trip, signalling that India-Israel relations have moved beyond traditional diplomacy into the realm of a “special strategic partnership”.

This personal touch by Netanyahu underscores the deep rapport between the two leaders and highlights Israel’s perception of India as an indispensable global ally. Beyond the symbolism, the visit is anchored by a significant leap in military collaboration. In a move that could fundamentally alter India’s security landscape, Israel has reportedly offered to share and transfer its world-renowned Iron Dome air defence technology. This potential integration into India’s indigenous “Sudarshan Chakra” programme comes at a critical time of heightened regional tensions, offering New Delhi a sophisticated shield against short-range aerial threats.

The military dimension is part of a broader $8.6 billion defence engagement planned for 2026, positioning Israel as India’s second-largest weapons supplier after France. The agenda also places a heavy emphasis on “frontier technologies”, with innovation and technology serving as the primary pillars of the visit. PM Modi and PM Netanyahu are expected to hold intensive discussions on deepening existing collaborations in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), and space exploration. A joint innovation event in Jerusalem is scheduled to showcase the synergy between Israel’s high-tech ecosystem and India’s massive scale of implementation.

Economic ties are also poised for a major upgrade. Following the signing of a Bilateral Investment Treaty in 2025, the two leaders are expected to fast-track negotiations for a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA). The visit will also see PM Modi becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to address the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, further cementing the diplomatic weight of this encounter. As the two “resilient democracies” align their visions, this visit is expected to provide a definitive roadmap for the next decade of India-Israel cooperation, spanning everything from quantum computing to water management and counter-terrorism.

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