Netanyahu calls PM Modi ‘one of our greatest friends’, highlights India’s backing for Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “one of our greatest friends”, underscoring India’s growing importance in Israel’s foreign policy and praising the strong support his country receives from India.

Speaking in a podcast interview released on Monday, Netanyahu said Israel was actively working to strengthen partnerships beyond its traditional allies, naming India as a key strategic partner. His remarks came just days after US Vice President JD Vance said the United States was Israel’s “only powerful ally”, prompting fresh discussion about Israel’s global diplomatic ties.

“We need to cultivate additional alliances. That’s why I’m investing heavily in our relationship with India, with my friend Narendra, who is one of our greatest friends,” Netanyahu said while discussing Israel’s international partnerships amid the ongoing conflict with Iran.

The Israeli leader also rejected suggestions that Israel was becoming diplomatically isolated.

“They say Israel is isolated. The support that Israel—and I personally—receive in India is simply unbelievable,” he said. Clips of the interview and their English translation quickly went viral on social media.

Netanyahu praises India’s support

This is not the first time Netanyahu has highlighted India’s support for Israel. In an interview with Fox News last month, he said Israel enjoyed “tremendous” backing from the world’s most populous country.

“We have some other friends, like a small country called India, you know, it has 1.4 billion people and, boy, do we have tremendous support there,” Netanyahu had said.

He also pointed to the overwhelming support he receives from Indian users on social media, remarks widely seen as a response to Vance’s assertion that Washington remained Israel’s only significant ally.

“You know, I have this Facebook thing, and I have overwhelming support there (India). I may have many others,” Netanyahu said.

India-Israel ties

India and Israel have steadily expanded their strategic partnership over the past decade, with Modi and Netanyahu often highlighting their personal rapport.

Earlier this year, Netanyahu referred to Modi as a “personal friend” and described India as a “global power”. During Modi’s state visit to Israel in February, the Prime Minister reaffirmed India’s support for Israel, saying New Delhi stood with the country “firmly with full conviction.”

The visit took place just two days before Israel and the United States launched a surprise military operation against Iran, which later escalated into a broader conflict.

JD Vance’s remarks

Netanyahu’s comments also came after JD Vance stressed the importance of US support for Israel.

“Donald Trump is the only head of state in the entire world who is sympathetic to the nation of Israel at this moment in time,” Vance said during a press briefing.

He added that if he were part of Israel’s government, he “might not be attacking the only powerful ally” Israel had left. Vance also noted that most of the weapons used to defend Israel over the past three months had been manufactured in the United States and funded by American taxpayers.

Netanyahu’s latest remarks reinforce Israel’s efforts to showcase its expanding diplomatic partnerships, with India emerging as one of its closest strategic and political partners amid an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape.