Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed complete confidence in India's security capabilities under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, according to an official statement from his office. This clarification comes amid media reports suggesting security concerns led to the postponement of Netanyahu's planned visit to India.
Clarification on Postponed Visit
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office emphasized that Netanyahu maintains full trust in India's security apparatus and the postponement of his visit is unrelated to the recent Delhi blast incident. Interestingly, neither government had formally announced the visit, though preparations were underway behind the scenes.
Earlier in the day, Indian government sources had strongly denied any connection between the Delhi blast and the proposed Netanyahu visit. "Media reports in this regard are misleading and factually incorrect," stated a government source, adding that drawing links with the Delhi blast was irresponsible journalism.
Historical Context and New Timeline
This visit has been pending since 2023 when the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks disrupted originally planned bilateral engagements. With a fragile ceasefire currently in place, both nations had been discussing the possibility of rescheduling the visit for December.
According to the Israeli PMO, both countries are now contemplating new dates for the high-profile visit, which is expected to take place early next year. Coordination teams from both nations are already working on arranging the new schedule.
Strong Bilateral Relations
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office highlighted that the bond between India and Israel remains exceptionally strong, as does the personal relationship between Prime Ministers Netanyahu and Modi. The statement reinforced that the postponed visit does not reflect any strain in diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Both countries continue to maintain robust strategic partnerships across multiple sectors including defense, technology, and agriculture. The rescheduled visit early next year is expected to further strengthen these existing ties and explore new areas of cooperation.
