Netanyahu applauds India’s backing of Israel amid growing international pressure

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hailed India’s strong support for Israel, saying the country remains an exception at a time when Israel is facing criticism in many parts of the world.

Addressing a conference in the West Bank on Thursday, Netanyahu said Israel continues to confront efforts to isolate and delegitimise it internationally, but added that public sentiment in India remains overwhelmingly positive towards Israel.

“There is an absolutely crazy love for Israel in India,” Netanyahu said, while also claiming that a significant portion of his global social media following comes from India. The Israeli leader described relations between India and Israel as unique and steadily expanding, particularly in areas of strategic and technological cooperation.

His comments come after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Jerusalem earlier this year, when both countries elevated bilateral ties to a “Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation and Prosperity.”

During the visit, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in sectors including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, semiconductors, biotechnology, agriculture, defence, fintech, water management and space technology. Several agreements were signed to boost collaboration in innovation, trade, education and digital infrastructure.

India and Israel also reviewed their growing defence partnership following the signing of a defence cooperation agreement in 2025. Both governments agreed to deepen coordination in critical and emerging technologies through initiatives involving their national security advisors.

The leaders further discussed integrating India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with Israel’s fast payment network to simplify cross-border digital transactions and improve financial connectivity between the two countries. India-Israel relations have expanded significantly in recent years, with both countries increasing engagement across defence, technology, innovation and economic cooperation.