Netanyahu announces Israel-India ‘hexagon of alliances' against ‘radical axes’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced a powerful "hexagon of alliances" that includes India, describing it as an axis of countries that "stand together against the radical axes".
Netanyahu wrote on X on Sunday: "The bond between Israel and India is a powerful alliance between two global leaders. We are partners in innovation, security, and a shared strategic vision. Together, we are building an axis of nations committed to stability and progress."
The remarks were made ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel this week, where he is expected to address the Israeli parliament, visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial museum and interact with members of the Indian-Jewish community.
"This morning, I opened the government meeting with remarks on the historic visit to be held here this Wednesday: my dear friend, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, will arrive in Israel," he said.
Modi responded by saying, "I completely agree with your words regarding the deep bond between India and Israel and the multi-dimensional nature of our bilateral relations. India attaches great importance to the strong and enduring friendship with Israel – a friendship based on mutual trust, innovation, and a shared aspiration for peace and progress."
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The Israeli prime minister told his cabinet that the "hexagon of alliances" would include Israel, India, Greece and Cyprus, along with other unnamed Arab, African and Asian states.
"The intention here is to create an axis of nations that see eye-to-eye on the reality, challenges, and goals against the radical axes, both the radical Shia axis, which we have struck very hard, and the emerging radical Sunni axis," Netanyahu said.
He added that Israel and India will collaborate in building infrastructure in the Negev, in southern Israel.
"I have instructed to advance at record speed the establishment of the Tzklag Airport alongside the development of Ramat David," Netanyahu said, adding that he approved the establishment of a new Israeili settlement in the Negev, "as part of a tremendous development momentum".
"Together, we are ensuring our resilience and our future for generations."
A raft of agreements
The Indian government has been providing Israel with labour, weapons and diplomatic cover even as a case of genocide case against Israel continues at The Hague.
In August, the Indian government said that more than 20,000 Indians have moved to Israel to replace Palestinian workers since the war in Gaza began, where Israel has killed over 72,000 Palestinians.
India has been the world's biggest purchaser of Israeli weapons, including drones, missile systems, censors, surveillance technology, and border-control equipment.
Between 2015 and 2019, India's purchases of Israeli weapons increased by 175 percent.
While calls for an arms embargo on Israel escalated in mid-2025, India's defence secretary and the director general of the Israeli defence ministry met in New Delhi and "agreed to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation with a long-term perspective".
In September, Delhi signed a bilateral investment agreement with Israel, aimed at protecting investments in both countries.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the agreement would "open new doors for both Israeli and Indian investors, strengthen Israeli exports, and provide businesses on both sides with certainty and tools to develop in the world's fastest-growing markets".
In November, Israel’s defence secretary visited India and signed a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation.
Meanwhile, in January, India agreed to deepen defence and trade ties with Israel's regional ally, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
New Delhi signed a $3bn deal to purchase liquefied natural gas from the UAE, making it Abu Dhabi's biggest customer. The deal included nuclear cooperation, development and deployment of "large nuclear reactors", and nuclear safety.
The UAE has been accused by a senior Saudi Arabian analyst of being "the Trojan horse of Israeli ambitions", with Abu Dhabi’s interventions in the region advancing Israel’s strategic objectives.
India-Iran crossroads
Israel has also been intensifying pressure on Washington to take direct military action against Iran, as US military forces are moved to the region, with the US having positioned around 100 aerial refuelling tankers, carrier strike groups and fleets of fighters.
The US has also ordered a 25 percent tariff on countries that do business with Iran.
Following the tariff announcement in early February, India seized three oil tankers in the Arabian Sea linked to Iran's shadow fleet, as part of what it described as a coordinated operation against an international oil-smuggling network.
Iran’s ambassador to India said that Tehran has not yet conveyed its plans for the future of Iran’s strategic Chabahar port, where India is a key commercial partner.
New Delhi, which has had close strategic ties with Iran in the past, has historically supported the Palestinian cause at the United Nations.
However, in recent years, it has built close relations with Israel and abstained from a UN General Assembly resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Indian analysts have noted that Modi's visit could impact New Delhi's relations with Tehran, especially after India halted imports of Iranian oil.
On Monday, India also issued an advisory urging all its nationals to leave Iran by all available means of transport.
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