Israel - India Relations

India and Israel celebrated 30 years of the upgradation of bilateral ties to full diplomatic relations in 2022-23. On 11th January, 2023, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a telephone conversation and discussed on the cooperation between the two countries.

The 15th India-Israel Forum, a Track 2 dialogue, was held in New Delhi in Dec 2022.

Deputy Prime Minister & Defence Minister of Israel Lt. Gen. (Ret) Benjamin Gantz visited India from June 1-3, 2022. On 2nd November, 2021, Prime Minister Modi and Israel's then-Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met on the sidelines of the U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow, UK.

In the last 30 years, India and Israel have signed several agreements to strengthen economic cooperation. From agreements to encourage and protect investments to space cooperation agreements, Israel and India are working hand in hand for the benefit of the two countries.

Agreement on Health Cooperation: On 21st December 2020, India and Israel signed an Agreement on Cooperation in the fields of Health and Medicine. 

Prime Minister Modi undertook a historic first-ever visit to Israel by an Indian Prime Minister on 4th-6th July, 2017, during which the relationship was upgraded to a strategic partnership. PM Benjamin Netanyahu made a return visit to India on 14th-19th January, 2018. 

An MoU has been signed between Israel's Start-Up Nation Central and India's International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology (iCreate) to initiate a bilateral program to accelerate innovation and technology cooperation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on 9th May, 2023, and discussed ways to deepen cooperation between the two countries.

Minister of Economy Nir Barkat travelled to India from 16th-19th April, 2023 with a large business delegation to strengthen bilateral ties in common areas of interest, automotive technologies and fintech.
 

India has become one of Israel’s largest trading partners. Many of the world’s leading high-tech companies in Israel and India are forging joint ventures that are successfully competing in the international marketplace.

In FY 2023-24 (Apr-Jan), bilateral trade stood at $5.75 Bn.

FDI inflows from Israel between Apr 2000 to Mar 2024 were reported at $314.87 Mn. India is Israel's second-largest trade partner in Asia and the seventh-largest globally.

Indian Potash Limited (IPL), under the Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers signed an MoU with Israel Chemicals Limited (ICL) for the supply of Muriate of Potash (MOP) for the period 2022 to 2027 with a yearly quantity of 6 to 6.5 LMT on 21st March 2022 in Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi.

Major exports from India to Israel include pearls and precious stones, automotive diesel, chemical and mineral products, machinery and electrical equipment, plastics, textile and apparel products, base metals and transport equipment, agricultural products.

Major exports from Israel to India include pearls and precious stones, chemical and mineral/fertilizer products, machinery and electrical equipment, petroleum oils, defence, machinery and transport equipment.

As a result of a strengthened relationship between the two countries, the State of Israel and private universities offer scholarships to Indian students in the country. From undergraduate and graduate to doctoral and post-doctoral programs, a variety of universities throughout Israel seek to encourage Indian students to acquire their higher education in Israel.

There are about 18,000 Indian citizens in Israel, primarily caregivers employed by Israeli elders to take care of them, diamond traders, I.T. professionals and students. Approximately 900 Indian students are studying in Israel, mainly at the doctoral and post-doctoral levels. 

Annual Conventions are hosted for the Indians living in Israel and the 'Know India' Programme has been effective in binding the Indians in Israel to their culture. Cultural influences are also reflected in the entertainment industry, from music artists to film producers, with cooperation between the two countries creating original content.

Since 2018, the Indian airline 'Air India' has begun operating direct flights from New Delhi to Tel Aviv. In addition, the company is considering opening another line that will connect Tel Aviv to Mumbai. This reflects a strong emerging connection between the two countries.