During his highly anticipated February 2026 state visit, Modi delivered an unequivocal message to the world: India and Israel are locking arms. But while the red-carpet welcome in Tel Aviv celebrated booming trade and shared history, the ripple effects of this tightening alliance are already setting off alarm bells in neighboring Pakistan.
Here is a deep dive into what transpired during the landmark visit, the multi-billion-dollar defense pacts on the table, and why Islamabad is watching so closely.
Shared Scars and Deepening Roots
Modi didn't mince words when addressing the Knesset. Drawing a poignant parallel between the October 2023 Hamas attacks, which claimed around 1,200 Israeli lives, and the tragic 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks that killed 175 people, he emphasized a shared vulnerability to terrorism."We feel your pain. We share your grief," Modi told Israeli lawmakers, adding that India stands with Israel "firmly, with full conviction in this moment and beyond."
The relationship isn't just built on modern security concerns, however. Modi highlighted historical blood ties, pointing out that over 4,000 Indian soldiers died in the region during World War I, with the legendary September 1918 cavalry charge at Haifa remaining a proud chapter in military history.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu matched this enthusiasm, calling the India-Israel alliance an "enormous multiplier" of power and spirit. Reminiscing about Modi's first visit in 2017 when the two leaders walked barefoot on a Mediterranean beach, Netanyahu joked that while they didn't walk on water, they had "performed miracles since then." The numbers back him up: since formal diplomatic ties were established in 1992 with a modest $200 million in trade, bilateral commerce skyrocketed to $10.77 billion by 2022-23.
The $9 Billion Defense Push and the "Hexagon of Alliances"
Beyond the diplomatic warmth, this visit is anchored in hard power. Rumors are swirling that New Delhi and Tel Aviv are preparing to ink defense and security deals worth a staggering $9 billion.India is already Israel's top arms buyer, but the current agenda pushes the envelope into next-generation warfare. Under a newly anticipated classified framework, Israel may export previously restricted military hardware to India. This reportedly includes the "Iron Beam"—Israel's cutting-edge 100kW-class high-energy laser weapon inducted in December 2025—and potential technology transfers to manufacture Iron Dome components locally in India. Modi also used the trip to champion the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), positioning it as a direct counterweight to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
But Netanyahu has even bigger structural plans. Just days prior to Modi's arrival, the Israeli Prime Minister proposed a new "hexagon of alliances." This regional framework aims to place India at the center, flanked by nations like Greece and Cyprus, to counter what Netanyahu describes as radical Shia and emerging radical Sunni axes.
Why Islamabad is on High Alert
For Pakistan, this isn't just distant diplomatic theater—it is a direct strategic threat. The tightening embrace between RAW and Mossad, whose intelligence-sharing dates back to the 1960s, is a massive point of anxiety for Islamabad.Pakistan's security establishment hasn't forgotten the four-day aerial skirmish with India in May 2025, where Indian forces heavily utilized Israeli-origin drone platforms. Furthermore, investigations revealed that Indian arms manufacturers supplied explosives and rockets to Israel during the 2024 Gaza war, cementing the reality that the India-Israel defense pipeline flows both ways.
Analysts note that Netanyahu’s mention of an "emerging radical Sunni axis" could be a veiled reference to the growing alignment between Pakistan, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. In September 2025, Islamabad and Riyadh locked in a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, a move that likely influenced Israel's aggressive push to bring India into its own "hexagon."
Yet, Pakistan finds itself walking a tightrope. Even as Islamabad builds its security firewall with Saudi Arabia and bolsters ties with Washington, it has to navigate a complex Gulf region where loyalties are shifting. The United Arab Emirates—historically one of Pakistan’s crucial financial lifelines—signed its own strategic agreement with India in January 2026.
The Bottom Line
As Prime Minister Modi adds his name to the exclusive list of world leaders to address the Knesset—joining the likes of Donald Trump and Javier Milei—the message is clear. The India-Israel partnership has evolved far beyond basic trade. It is now a formidable strategic juggernaut capable of dictating the security architecture of two highly volatile regions.While New Delhi and Tel Aviv celebrate their "miracles," the pressure is officially on Islamabad to recalibrate its foreign policy before it gets left behind in a rapidly changing geopolitical chessboard.