At the heart of the visit is defence cooperation, where Trigunayat sees scope for a major upgrade. He said Israel possesses cutting-edge systems that India now needs urgently, particularly to counter emerging threats such as drones. “Israel has not palmed off technologies… these are the kinds of technologies India also needs,” he noted, adding that the next phase must focus on manufacturing in India rather than imports alone.
According to him, Israel is open to sharing key technologies and sees value in India’s scale and production capability. “Israel would perhaps be happy to work in India—Make in India for the world. We can do that jointly,” Trigunayat said, pointing to past models of joint development that could be replicated.Prime Minister Modi arrived in Tel Aviv for a two-day state visit and will hold talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to deepen defence and trade ties. The visit is being closely watched as it comes amid ongoing regional tensions and renewed focus on strategic partnerships.
Modi will also travel to Jerusalem, where he is scheduled to interact with the Indian community and address the Knesset, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to do so. Both leaders have repeatedly highlighted their personal rapport, often referring to each other as “dear friend”, and Modi has said the visit will consolidate enduring bonds while setting new goals for the partnership.
While defence is the main focus, trade discussions are also expected to gather pace. The visit coincides with the first round of negotiations for the India–Israel Free Trade Agreement, which began on February 23. Bilateral trade, excluding defence, stood at over $3 billion in FY25, down from $6.53 billion in FY24 due to regional security disruptions, but had crossed $10 billion at its peak in FY23.
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Trigunayat said both sides are keen to fast-track the FTA and explore trilateral cooperation frameworks with partners such as the UAE. “Trade has gone down in the last year, but it has the potential to reach $10–20 billion if defence is excluded,” he said.
For India, the visit signals a clear intent to align strategic needs with domestic manufacturing goals. If discussions translate into concrete agreements, Modi’s Israel trip could help unlock advanced defence technologies while reinforcing India’s push to become a global manufacturing hub.
Watch accompanying video for entire conversation.
