Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has said efforts are underway to fix a new date for his visit to India after reports suggested the trip was postponed due to security concerns following a deadly terror attack in New Delhi.
In a statement posted on X, Netanyahu’s office said, “The PM has full confidence in India's security under PM Modi, and teams are already coordinating a new visit date.” The statement added that “Israel's bond with India” and the relationship between the leaders of both countries are “very strong”.
The clarification came after Israeli media reports claimed the proposed visit was delayed due to heightened security concerns in the aftermath of a major terror attack in New Delhi two weeks ago. The blast, described as the worst in the city in more than a decade, killed at least 15 people and injured dozens.
According to i24NEWS, Netanyahu, who was expected to travel to India later this year for meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is now likely to seek a new date next year, pending security assessments. This would mark the third time this year that the Israeli leader has cancelled or postponed a planned visit to India.
Netanyahu last visited India in January 2018. His six-day trip from January 14 to 19 that year was only the second visit by an Israeli Prime Minister to the country and was seen as a major milestone in bilateral ties.
Following the Red Fort terror attack, Netanyahu extended his condolences to Prime Minister Modi and the people of India. In a post shared on X, he described India and Israel as ancient civilisations bound by shared values and resilience.
“To our dear friend Narendra Modi and to the brave people of India: Sara and I, and the people of Israel, send our deepest condolences to the families of the victims. Israel stands strong with you in sorrow and in strength in this time,” the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office wrote.
The message further added, “India and Israel are ancient civilizations that stand on eternal truths. Terror may strike our cities, but it will never shake our souls. The light of our nations will outshine the darkness of our enemies.”
Although the visit has been postponed, diplomatic engagement between the two countries remains active. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal met Netanyahu on Sunday during his three-day visit to Israel, signalling ongoing cooperation despite the delay in the Prime Minister’s trip.
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