"Visit is important contextually in regional and global ways": Foreign Expert Mahesh Sachdev on PM Modi Israel visit

New Delhi [India], February 25 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Israel on Wednesday comes at a "very important context" marked by regional flux and evolving geopolitical equations, foreign affairs expert Mahesh Sachdev said.
Speaking to ANI, Sachdev said, "Prime Minister's visit to Israel takes place against a very important context. There is no doubt that India-Israel relations have acquired strategic connotations, and they have grown with both sides being enthusiastic about their promotion."
He highlighted that, ahead of the visit, India and Israel have already held an anti-terrorism dialogue and the first round of negotiations on a proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA), underscoring the expanding strategic and economic engagement between the two countries.
According to Sachdev, the timing of the visit is significant both regionally and globally. "The visit is important contextually in regional and global ways as well. Regionally, it takes place when the Gaza war is under a ceasefire, and only last week, the first session of the Board for Peace under President Trump took place in Washington," he said, referring to diplomatic efforts under US President Donald Trump.
He also pointed to rising tensions between Iran and the United States, with Israel being an interested stakeholder. "This may, according to some observers, lead to hostilities between the United States and Iran, which may envelop Israel and the regional powers as well," Sachdev cautioned.
"Against this backdrop, the Prime Minister's visit to Israel acquires a new sense of urgency and meaning," he added.
Sachdev underlined that India has consistently supported a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine issue and has advocated peace and diplomacy between Iran and the US."So, the motives of India's visit are not in doubt," he said.
He further observed that both countries are keen to move their bilateral ties into a more stable and forward-looking phase. "India and Israel need each other and chart each other's progress for future bilateralism in a more stable context, away from the two-year-old Gaza war and the Iran-U.S. crisis," he stated.
Among the key pending issues are the proposed IMEC (India-Middle-East-Europe Economic Corridor), the FTA negotiations, and enhanced anti-terror cooperation. Economic ties, including the diamond trade and technology transfers in sectors such as energy and irrigation, are also central to the relationship, the foreign expert said.
Sachdev described Israel as a "startup nation" and noted India's growing innovation ecosystem. "Israel is also called a startup nation, and India has a very vigorous startup tradition that has picked up during the past eleven years. We are the third-largest startup country, and over a hundred Indian startups have become unicorns, he said, suggesting that these complementarities provide fresh impetus for deeper commercial engagement.
At the same time, he said the Prime Minister would have to strike a delicate balance in his public messaging. "There would also be a careful balance to be struck by the Prime Minister during his pronouncements concerning Israel-Palestine and other regional issues, where Israel would expect the Prime Minister to make some conciliatory remarks, although India is a principled player in these matters and our policy is not prone to sudden jerkiness and shifts. This would need to be carefully meandered through a minefield," Sachdev said. (ANI)