India’s Modi visits Israel as US-Iran tensions mount

India stands with Israel “with full conviction", Mr Modi told Israel's Parliament. Read more at straitstimes.com.

JERUSALEM - India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel on Feb 25 for a two-day visit that both countries have cast as a chance to deepen relations, as regional concerns mount over the risk of military conflict between the United States and Iran.

In an address to the Israeli Parliament, Mr Modi told lawmakers that India stood with Israel “with full conviction” as he shared his nation’s condolences over the October 2023 Hamas attack.

“Like you, we have a consistent and uncompromising policy of zero tolerance for terrorism, with no double standards,” he said.

Both Mr Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also addressed the Parliament, spoke of terrorist attacks that their nations had faced, with Mr Netanyahu saying India and Israel both faced the challenge of confronting “radical Islam”.

Some opposition lawmakers briefly walked out of the special session, protesting at the speaker’s decision not to invite the head of the Supreme Court, but returned for Mr Modi’s remarks.

Mr Netanyahu’s right-wing government, which the speaker belongs to, has had a confrontational relationship with the court.