Daijiworld Media Network – Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv, Oct 23: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu held a telephone conversation on Thursday, discussing bilateral relations and recent developments in West Asia. Netanyahu also invited Modi to participate in Israel’s Independence Day celebrations alongside Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, whom he praised for his courage.
In a post on X, Netanyahu said he had invited Modi to light the torch alongside the Indian pilot during the celebrations. He added that Modi thanked him for the invitation and highlighted the cooperation between India and Israel in combating terrorism.
Modi said the two leaders reviewed the progress in bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the Special Strategic Partnership between the countries.
“We also exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia and underscored the urgent need to restore peace and stability in the region,” Modi said in his post on X.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), both leaders welcomed the continued progress in India-Israel relations. Modi reiterated India’s position that dialogue and diplomacy were essential to achieving peace and stability in the region.
The conversation comes months after Modi’s state visit to Israel on February 25 and 26, during which the two countries agreed to elevate their existing strategic partnership to a Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation and Prosperity.
During the visit, Modi said India’s security interests were linked to peace and stability in the Middle East and expressed support for the Gaza Peace Initiative.
Netanyahu had earlier spoken with Indian pilot Smit Machchhar and described him as a “hero of the entire world” following an alleged attempt by his co-pilot to crash a flight bound for Israel.
Machchhar was reportedly attacked and seriously injured by his co-pilot in the cockpit of flydubai flight FZ1073 while the aircraft was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv last month.