As Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepares for a stand-alone visit to Israel on Wednesday to upgrade bilateral relations, its timing faces geopolitical headwinds.
While defence and security, labour and trade, AI and technology, and IMEC project connectivity will be at the top of the agenda for his meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the outcomes will go beyond bilateral agreements to their symbolism and the message they send to the wider West Asian region.
Mr. Netanyahu’s plans to announce a “hexagonal alliance” with India, Greece and Cyprus, and some unnamed Arab, African and Asian countries against “both radical Sunni and Shia axes”, will be watched closely by those countries seen to be targeted, including Iran, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, each of which has historical and complex ties with India. Any announcements on trilateral cooperation between India, the UAE and Israel during the visit will also have an impact in the region, where UAE-Saudi tensions are rising.




