In a high-stakes telephone call late Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached out to his Indian counterpart, Narendra Modi, in a bid to express profound gratitude for India’s assistance in the face of an “hour of crisis.” The call comes as Israel remains locked in a widening military engagement with Iran and its regional proxies following the historic February 28 strikes that reportedly claimed the life of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“I talked with my friend Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Netanyahu said over the airwaves shortly after the call. “I thank him for standing with Israel during this hour of crisis. I also spoke to some other leaders so the world understood the existential threat we are dismantling.”
Benjamin Netanyahu (PM of Israel):
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) March 2, 2026
I spoke with my friend Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I thank him for standing with Israel during this hour of crisis. I also spoke with several other leaders.
🇮🇱 🇮🇳 🇮🇷 pic.twitter.com/8Ifm5j68B7
India’s Strategic Balancing Act
While Netanyahu hailed the “iron alliance” between the two countries, New Delhi has kept a careful balance to its diplomatic line with the two nations. At the same time on the same call PM Modi reiterated Indian position on regional stability – at least to that end, repeating India’s longstanding position on regional stability for decades and focusing on two major cornerstones:
- Security of civilians: Modi stressed that the defence of innocent lives should continue to be the “utmost priority” for anyone involved in hostilities.
- De-escalation: The Indian Prime Minister urged “an early cessation of hostilities” and called on both sides to return to dialogue and diplomacy.
Context of the Crisis
The discussion came mere days after PM Modi finished a historic state visit to Israel, where both leaders raised their status as a “Special Strategic Partnership.”
But the ensuing flare-up of full-scale hostility including Iranian counterattacks against energy facilities in the Gulf and U.S. diplomatic missions has left India walking a tightrope. Today, India employs more than 9 million people in the Gulf and another 10,000 in Iran, rendering regional stability a matter of direct national security for New Delhi.
Global Outreach
Netanyahu’s outreach to Modi is one part of a larger diplomatic effort to cement international support for Operation Roaring Lion. In addition to India, Netanyahu has reportedly spoken to leaders of the U.K., Germany, and the United States, as the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) seek to prepare for what President Trump has indicated will be a multi-week campaign to neutralize Iran's missile infrastructure. The "personal chemistry" of Modi and Netanyahu continues to dominate the political arena as the conflict heads into its second week, representing a changing paradigm in the way major global powers align during Middle Eastern upheavals.
