Jerusalem : Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm and enthusiastic welcome at the Knesset on Wednesday, where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu attended an official reception ceremony in his honour.
As PM Modi arrived at the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, chants of “Modi, Modi” echoed through the hall, and he was greeted with a standing ovation by members present. He is scheduled to address the Israeli Parliament shortly.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi began his two-day State Visit to Israel with a ceremonial reception at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. In a special gesture, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Sara Netanyahu personally received him at the airport and accorded him a guard of honour.
Following the arrival ceremony, the two leaders held a brief one-on-one meeting before PM Modi proceeded to his hotel, where members of the Indian community and representatives of the Jewish Indian diaspora extended a vibrant and heartfelt welcome. The reception featured cultural performances by Indian and Israeli artistes, symbolising the enduring friendship and shared heritage between the two nations.
Taking to social media platform X, Netanyahu shared a video of PM Modi’s arrival, writing, “Welcome to Israel, my dear friend Narendra Modi.” He described the visit as historic and highlighted their close personal rapport.
“My wife Sara and I welcomed today our good friend, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, who has arrived for another historic visit to Israel. Prime Minister Modi previously visited Israel in 2017, and I later paid a reciprocal visit to India that was truly exceptional. We share a close personal relationship, speak often, and I believe that the deep friendship between us powerfully reflects on the ties between our two countries,” Netanyahu said.
The visit underscores the deepening strategic and diplomatic partnership between India and Israel, built on strong political engagement and growing cooperation across sectors.