Defense Talks at Core
Defense will dominate the agenda as both nations eye a new deal on defense with Israel.
India is already Israel’s largest foreign defense customer. In 2025, New Delhi placed orders worth 1.5 billion dollars. That figure almost doubled from 880 million dollars in 2023 as India looked to secure a fresh defense deal linked with Israel.
Key points under discussion:
- Finalizing a major missile system deal approved last year
- Expanding joint production of drones and missile systems
- Cooperation on sensitive defense technologies
- Stronger intelligence sharing on counter terrorism
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, India accounts for nearly 34 percent of Israel’s total arms exports, much of which is shaped by ongoing defense deals between India and Israel.
Israel has supplied India with air defense systems, precision guided missiles, surveillance drones, and radar systems, with every new defense deal strengthening ties with Israel.
Over time, the relationship shifted from buyer seller to joint manufacturing and technology transfer, reflecting the importance of defense deals with Israel.
Strategic Calculations
Both leaders view security as a shared priority, and India’s ongoing defense deal efforts with Israel reflect this alignment.
Netanyahu recently described a “hexagon of alliances” that would include India, Arab nations, African states, Greece, Cyprus, and Asian partners. The aim is to counter regional instability and radical networks, which could open doors for further defense deals with Israel.
India faces security concerns from Pakistan and cross border militancy and seeks to bolster its position through defense deals with Israel.
Israel faces threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran aligned groups, making defense deals with India a crucial component in its strategy. In effect, a defense deal with Isael will strengthen India’s security apparatus.
Strategic alignment now includes:
- Counter terrorism coordination
- Cybersecurity collaboration
- Maritime security cooperation
- Intelligence exchange, further enhanced by defense deals forged with Israel.
Trade Pact Gains Momentum
Trade is the second pillar of the visit, but the first major pillar is defense deals, especially those with Israel.
Bilateral trade between India and Israel reached about 5 billion dollars in 2025, not including the substantial defense deals India has made with Israel.
This includes goods, services, and diamonds. Defense trade is excluded from this figure, though defense deals with Israel constitute a large part of overall relations.
India is Israel’s second largest trading partner in Asia, thanks to robust defense deals and broader trade agreements.
Negotiators have already begun talks on a free trade agreement, with defense deals remaining a central focus of India’s partnership with Israel.
Leaders are expected to set a deadline to conclude the pact by year end, after seeing significant progress in defense deals negotiated with Israel.
A trade deal would likely cover:
- Reduced tariffs on industrial goods
- Greater access for Israeli agricultural technology
- Expanded cooperation in water management
- Innovation partnerships in AI and biotech, along with continued defense deal discussions with Israel.
For India, Israel offers advanced technology and defense expertise, as evidenced by major defense deals signed in recent years.
For Israel, India offers a fast growing consumer market of over 1.4 billion people, plus regular opportunities for new defense deals.
Political Implications
The visit carries political weight for both sides, particularly regarding pending defense deals with Israel.
Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party secured a third term in 2024, which may provide leverage in negotiating a defense deal with Israel.
He maintains close personal ties with Netanyahu, making any upcoming defense deals with Israel easier to finalize.
Netanyahu seeks stronger global engagement following criticism over the Gaza conflict. A new defense deal with India may boost his international standing.
A high profile visit from India strengthens his diplomatic standing, especially if a defense deal with Israel comes out of it. Notably, the leadership is committed to a defense deal with Isael for global security reasons.
India continues to balance ties with Arab nations, but its defense deals with Israel have steadily grown in importance.
New Delhi supports a two state solution and has criticized settlement expansion in the West Bank, while pursuing defense deals with Israel independently of these stances.
Regional Power Shifts
The regional backdrop adds urgency to India’s defense deal negotiations with Israel.
Pakistan signed a defense pact with Saudi Arabia, prompting India to seek its own defense deal with Israel.
Turkey has shown interest in similar frameworks, which could influence defense deal dynamics between India and Israel.
These alignments reshape the security map of West Asia, making defense deals with Israel more critical for India.
At the same time, the India Middle East Europe Economic Corridor remains under discussion, and the success of defense deals with Israel could impact this initiative.
The corridor envisions linking India to Europe through the Middle East, where defense deals with Israel are a strategic advantage.
Israel’s Haifa port plays a key role in that plan, further connecting defense deals between India and Israel.
The port saw partial acquisition by India’s Adani Group in 2023, strengthening economic connectivity and supporting ongoing defense deals with Israel.
If revived, the corridor could:
- Cut shipping time between India and Europe
- Reduce dependence on traditional routes
- Boost logistics and energy trade, influenced by defense deal partnerships with Israel.
What This Means for India
Three areas deserve close attention, including the new defense deal with Israel.
- Defense manufacturing expansion under Make in India, in partnership with Israel through new defense deals.
- Trade diversification through a free trade pact, and enhanced defense deals with Israel.
- Stronger geopolitical leverage in West Asia, aided by defense deal strategies with Israel.
The India Israel relationship now rests on security, technology, and trade. The visit aims to deepen integration across all three pillars, especially by finalizing a defense deal with Israel. In summary, pursuing a defense deal with Isael will advance India’s strategic interests.