Israeli PM Netanyahu cancels India visit again after New Delhi terror attack; security review delays meeting with PM Modi for next year. Photo: X.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has once again cancelled his visit to India. Netanyahu was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi later this year. According to reports, the Israeli PM has canceled his visit due to security concerns after a deadly terror attack in New Delhi two weeks ago. The attack, the most severe in the capital in over a decade, claimed at least 15 lives and left dozens injured, according to an Israeli media report.
Citing unnamed sources, i24NEWS reported that “Netanyahu, who last visited India in 2018 and was set to return for meetings with PM Modi, is now expected to seek a new date next year pending security assessments.”
The visit had been expected before the end of the year.
This marks the third time in 2025 that Netanyahu has cancelled a planned trip to India. Earlier, he called off a day-long visit scheduled for September 9, attributing it to scheduling complications linked to Israel’s unprecedented repeat polls on September 17. A similar cancellation occurred ahead of the April elections.
Netanyahu’s planned visit had been viewed in Israel as part of a broader attempt to project international acceptance. In July, his political party displayed campaign banners featuring his images alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin in an attempt to present him as a global statesman operating in a “different league.”
His campaign messaging has emphasised his personal rapport with world leaders, portraying him as a figure central to Israel’s national security and international standing.
Netanyahu last travelled to India in January 2018, while PM Modi became the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel in 2017. The warm relationship between the two leaders has frequently been highlighted in both Indian and Israeli media.
Meanwhile, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal wrapped up a three-day visit to Israel on Sunday, during which he met Netanyahu and other senior officials.
Goyal conveyed Prime Minister Modi’s greetings to Netanyahu and briefed him on discussions held with Minister Nir Barkat, as well as the outcomes of the Business Forum and CEOs Forum.
In a post on X, Goyal highlighted the signing of the Terms of Reference to begin negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which is expected to bolster trade, investment, and technological collaboration. He also underlined efforts to strengthen innovation partnerships by integrating Israel’s high-tech capabilities with India’s scale and talent pool.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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