Correspondent
Jerusalem, Wednesday: Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Wednesday called for stronger parliamentary fraternity and expanded cooperation between India and Israel as he addressed a Special Plenary session of the Knesset, the 120 member-strong-unicameral house of the nation in Jerusalem.
Emphasising the shared democratic values of the two nations, Modi urged greater interaction between lawmakers, highlighting the recently formed Parliamentary Friendship Group for Israel in India as a platform to deepen institutional ties. He underlined the importance of strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure development and technology, alongside collaboration in green growth, start-ups, digital innovation and emerging technologies.
The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction over the conclusion of the Bilateral Investment Treaty and called for the early finalisation of a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement to unlock untapped economic potential.
Modi was received at the Knesset by Speaker Amir Ohana and accorded a ceremonial welcome. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Opposition Leader Yair Lapid addressed the session ahead of his speech, expressing bipartisan support for strong India–Israel ties.
Drawing parallels between India’s philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family) and the Israeli principle of Tikkun Olam (healing the world), Modi said both nations share a common vision of building a harmonious and progressive global society.
Reiterating India’s zero-tolerance stance on terrorism, he conveyed condolences for the October 7 terror attack and affirmed India’s support for efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.
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