How PM Narendra Modi Transformed India–Israel Relations

Описание: India’s strong partnership with Israel dates back to Narendra Modi’s tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2006. His engagement began with a clear developmental purpose. He wanted to understand how a water-scarce nation had achieved success in agriculture through innovation, technology, and scientific water management.

During his visit to Agritech, he studied advanced irrigation systems, greenhouse cultivation, wastewater recycling, dairy development and high-value agriculture. Recognising the similarities between Gujarat and Israel, he sought solutions to strengthen water efficiency and improve farmers’ productivity in Gujarat. At the India-Israel Business Forum, he articulated the phrase “Divided by Land, United by Water” and reinforced the vision of “More Crops per Drop,” which later became central to Gujarat’s water strategy.

Over a decade later, in 2017, Narendra Modi created history by becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel. That visit marked a decisive shift in bilateral relations and elevated ties to a strategic level. Cooperation expanded beyond agriculture into technology, digital innovation, defense and advanced manufacturing. His strong rapport with Benjamin Netanyahu helped build trust and accelerate collaboration between industries and research institutions.

Speaking about this transformation, Baba Kalyani, an Indian industry leader who was part of the 2017 delegation, says, “In these years, we learned what we could not have learned in the last fifty years,” he said, highlighting the scale of cooperation achieved between India and Israel.

Today, as #PMModi continues his engagement with Israel, the journey shows continuity and depth. What began in 2006 as a focused effort to bring agricultural innovation to Gujarat has evolved into a comprehensive strategic partnership between two nations, built on technology, trust and shared vision.

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