NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday received a telephone call from his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu, with the two reviewing progress on various facets of both countries’ special strategic partnership and also exchanging views on the current situation in West Asia.PM Modi posted on X that India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership continues to go from strength to strength. “The two reviewed sustained progress in the special strategic partnership and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the bilateral cooperation across various sectors for the mutual benefit of both countries,” said the government in a statement.The affirmation of friendship comes at a time when Israel has lost many of its traditional supporters and sympathisers because of Netanyahu’s military offensive in retaliation to Hamas’s terror attack on its civilian population. Significant sections in the US, Israel’s principal backer, have soured on the country, while there is growing support for the Palestinian cause. PM Modi had visited Israel days before Israel and the US attacked Iran: a coincidence which has been cited by the opposition to accuse the government of a tilt towards Netanyahu.
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In his address to the Israeli Parliament, PM Modi had declared that India would stand with Israel in the latter’s fight against terrorism.Criticism does not appear to have deterred the government from strengthening ties with Israel, which has emerged as a source of sophisticated weaponry and help in times of conflict. “Netanyahu and PM Modi also exchanged views on the developments in West Asia,” it added.
