Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Wednesday honoured with the prestigious ‘Speaker of the Knesset Medal’ for his exceptional contribution to strengthening strategic relations between India and Israel. The Indian Prime Minister became the first global figure to receive this highest honour of the Knesset. The award was presented by Speaker Amir Ohana after the Prime Minister’s address at the Israeli Parliament.ย “I am deeply honoured to receive the Medal of the Knesset. I accept it with humility and gratitude. This honour is not a tribute to an individual, but to the enduring friendship between India and Israel. It reflects the shared values that guide our two nations,” PM Modi wrote on X.ย
The medal recognised the Prime Minister’s personal commitment to expanding strategic engagement between India and Israel. Over recent years, cooperation between New Delhi and Tel Aviv has expanded into a full-spectrum partnership that includes high-level visits, defence collaboration, technology exchange and joint development projects.ย The honour also reflects Israel’s acknowledgement of India as a long-term and reliable partner in areas such as security cooperation, economic growth and technological innovation.
PM Modi: A rare leader honoured by both Israel and Palestine
Prime Minister Modi is among the rare world leaders to have received top civilian honours from both Israel and the State of Palestine, showcasing India’s balanced and independent West Asia policy. In 2018, he was awarded the ‘Grand Collar of the State of Palestine’ — the highest honour the Palestinian government confers on foreign leaders for strengthening India-Palestine ties and supporting the Palestinian cause.
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India’s diplomatic footprint in West Asia
This is PM Modi’s second visit to Israel in nine years, following his historic 2017 trip which elevated the bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership. The latest honour is widely viewed as a symbol of India’s expanding diplomatic presence in the region and its efforts to maintain balanced relations while deepening cooperation with key partners.ย The recognition highlights how India’s foreign policy is increasingly shaped by technology-driven partnerships, security collaboration and emerging economic opportunities that continue to define India-Israel relations.
PM Modi on Israel visit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day state visit to Israel on February 25-26, 2026, marks a pivotal moment in the deepening “robust and multifaceted Strategic Partnership” between the two nations. Received with a warm ceremonial welcome by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, PM Modi became the first Indian leader to address the Israeli Parliament — the Knesset. The visit focuses on expanding collaboration in high-stakes sectors, including defence, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and quantum technology, while concurrently advancing negotiations for a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Amidst a volatile regional landscape in West Asia, this engagement underscores India’s strategic de-hyphenation policy, balancing its enduring friendship and security ties with Israel against its broader diplomatic interests.ย
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