Daijiworld Media Network - Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Feb 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Israel on February 25-26, marking his second trip to the country after 2017, with high-level talks expected to focus on defence, technology and trade cooperation.

Ahead of the visit, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday outlined his vision of creating a new Mediterranean-Middle East strategic bloc, describing it as a “hexagon of alliances” to counter what he termed the radical Shiite and Sunni axes in the region.

Netanyahu said the proposed alliance would link India, select Arab states, African nations, Greece, Cyprus and additional Asian partners in a unified front. “The vision is to build a strategic alliance across the Mediterranean and the Middle East,” he said, adding that the bloc would stand in direct opposition to radical forces destabilising the region.

Referring to Modi as a “dear friend,” Netanyahu emphasised the importance of India in the proposed framework. “On Wednesday, the Prime Minister of India, my friend Narendra Modi, will arrive in Israel. In the vision I see before my eyes, we will create a complete system of alliances around or within the Middle East,” he said.

In a post on X, Netanyahu wrote that he was looking forward to welcoming Modi to Jerusalem. The Indian Prime Minister responded that India deeply values its enduring friendship with Israel, built on trust, innovation and a shared commitment to peace and progress.

During the visit, Modi is expected to address the Knesset and pay homage at Yad Vashem, Israel’s national Holocaust memorial.

Netanyahu described India as a “global power” and said the bond between the two countries represents a powerful alliance between two global leaders. “We are partners in innovation, security and a shared strategic vision. Together, we are building an axis of nations committed to stability and progress,” he said.

India-Israel relations have evolved into a robust strategic partnership since the 1990s and accelerated significantly during the Modi-Netanyahu era. Bilateral trade is reported to exceed $10 billion annually, alongside major defence cooperation including systems such as the Barak-8 missile and collaboration in emerging technologies like drones and artificial intelligence.

The proposed “hexagon alliance”, according to Netanyahu, aims to foster deeper economic cooperation, diplomatic coordination and security collaboration to counter Iran-backed networks and rising extremism in the region, while stabilising the Middle East through a unified strategic framework.