Netanyahu praises India’s strong support for Israel amid global criticism

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has praised India’s support for Israel, saying the country remains one of Israel’s strongest global backers at a time when it faces mounting criticism internationally.

Speaking at a conference in the West Bank on Thursday, Netanyahu said Israel continues to encounter what he described as attempts at “delegitimisation” in several parts of the world, but noted that India has remained firmly supportive.

“In India, there is an absolutely crazy love for Israel,” Netanyahu said, while emphasising the warmth he believes exists among the Indian public toward Israel. He also remarked that India accounts for a large share of his international social media following.

Netanyahu described ties with India as increasingly important for Israel’s diplomatic and strategic outreach, highlighting growing cooperation between the two nations across multiple sectors.

His remarks come months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Jerusalem in February 2026, where both countries upgraded bilateral ties to a “Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation and Prosperity.”

During the visit, India and Israel expanded discussions on collaboration in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, semiconductors, biotechnology, agriculture, defence, water management and space technology. Multiple agreements were signed covering technology, education, agriculture, fintech and trade cooperation.

The two sides also reviewed defence ties following the defence cooperation agreement signed in 2025 and agreed to strengthen coordination in emerging technologies through initiatives involving their national security establishments.

Among the key proposals discussed was the possibility of linking India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with Israel’s digital payment infrastructure to enable smoother cross-border transactions between the two countries.

India and Israel have steadily deepened ties in recent years, with cooperation expanding beyond defence into technology, innovation, trade and strategic connectivity.