India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who was in Israel accompanying Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a two-day visit to the country, said Thursday, February 26 in Jerusalem that Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to broaden cooperation across technology, security, agriculture, and economic ties, with roughly 16 agreements exchanged during the trip.
Misri said the leaders reviewed “the entire spectrum of the India-Israel strategic partnership” and agreed to deepen collaboration in “science and technology, innovation, research, critical and emerging technologies, cybersecurity, agriculture, water, defense and security, trade and economy, people-to-people exchanges.” He described the visit as a high-priority engagement for New Delhi and said it provided “a renewed impetus” for joint efforts focused on “peace, innovation and prosperity,” with a strong emphasis on artificial intelligence, cyber security, research, and startups.
According to Misri, the two sides decided to elevate the Joint Commission on Science and Technology to the ministerial level. He said AI cooperation is expected to include education and healthcare initiatives, adding that the goal is “to use AI for precision education.” He also said cyber cooperation and “horizon scanning mechanisms” were finalized through instruments exchanged in the presence of the leaders.
On academic and agricultural cooperation, Misri said the countries agreed to establish an India-Israel Academic Cooperation Forum and signed an agreement to create a joint innovation center for agriculture in India, alongside a fellowship program enabling Indian researchers to conduct agricultural research at the Volcani Agriculture Research Organization.
The foreign secretary also pointed to ongoing economic discussions, saying Israel and India signed a bilateral investment agreement in September 2024 and that an Israeli team is in India for the first round of negotiations on a free trade agreement. He said labor mobility has become a growing pillar of ties, noting, “Nearly 42,000 Indian skilled workers have travelled to Israel in recent years,” and that new protocols will expand structured pathways in services, manufacturing, and restaurant-related sectors. He added there is “a broad consensus” that up to 50,000 Indian workers may arrive in Israel within the next five years.
Misri said regional tensions, including Gaza, were discussed and that Modi emphasized dialogue and offered support for peaceful solutions. He referenced “the 20-point plan put forward by President Donald Trump,” saying India “has expressed its firm support for the initiative,” and added, “Yes, we do see a role,” while noting the scope depends on developments on the ground in Gaza.
