"Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Israel's 'courage' for signing the Abraham Accords and normalising ties with several Arab nations as he addressed the Knesset in Jerusalem on Wednesday. "India supports all efforts that contribute to durable peace and regional stability. Some years ago. When you concluded the Abraham Accords, we applauded your courage," the Indian PM said. Modi announced that India is working hard to negotiate an 'ambitious free trade agreement' with Israel that will unleash the 'full scope of opportunity' in the region. "It will unlock the vast untapped potential in our trade relationship. We will also work closely in different forms such as India, the Middle East, Europe, Economic Corridor and the eye to U2 framework between India, Israel, UAE and the US," he explained. The PM later described the defence and security partnership shared by India and Israel as an 'important pillar' of their bilateral relations. "In November last year, we signed an MoU on defence cooperation in today's uncertain world. A strong defence partnership between trusted partners like India and Israel is of vital importance," he said. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Modi’s visit and highlighted the strategic importance of joint initiatives such as IMEC. "Together, we are leading initiatives of historic scale. This certainly applies to the security challenges and opportunities, but it's not just in security," Netanyahu said. "We are developing the IMEC initiative together. It is a maritime and land corridor that will connect India through the Arabian Peninsula, connecting it to the port of Haifa, and from there to the Mediterranean and Europe," he added. Modi arrived earlier on Wednesday at Ben Gurion Airport for a two-day visit, which comes amid ongoing negotiations between the two countries on a potential free trade agreement. According to Indian government data, bilateral trade reached approximately $3.62 billion between 2024 and 2025. The visit has also drawn criticism from opposition parties in India, including the Communist Party of India and the Congress Party, which accused Modi of undermining India’s traditional support for the Palestinian cause through closer ties with Israel."