Indian parliamentary panel, opposition criticise Modi’s Israel visit amid regional tensions

A parliamentary panel in the Indian Parliament has questioned the timing of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Israel, pointing to volatile regional tensions and strategic implications amid ongoing security concerns in West Asia and a visible US military build-up, India media outlets reported.

Opposition political figures, especially from the Indian National Congress, have criticised the Modi government's stance on Palestinians, accusing it of having “abandoned the Palestinians” by proceeding with the visit despite continuing violence and civilian casualties in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

Modi is set to arrive in Israel on February 25 for a two-day visit, his first to the country in nine years. His 2017 trip was the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Israel. The upcoming visit comes in the aftermath of the Israeli military's genocidal campaign against Palestinians in Gaza, which has lasted over two years and claimed more than 72,000 Palestinian lives.

During his stay in West Jerusalem, as per Indian media reports, Modi is scheduled to address the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, participate in an innovation event focused on technology cooperation, and visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Some members of the Indian Parliament’s Standing Committee on External Affairs have questioned why Modi's trip is being undertaken when India has advised its citizens to leave Iran due to security concerns and warned that Israel could become involved in a wider conflict, and said the visit’s timing deserves scrutiny given ongoing violence and instability.

Responding to the criticism, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that all Prime Ministerial visits are planned keeping security considerations in mind, but he did not clarify whether the trip would be cancelled if tensions escalate further.

The parliamentary panel also used the discussion to question broader diplomatic priorities, including budget shortfalls for India’s Ministry of External Affairs and the reported withdrawal from strategic projects such as the Chabahar Port in Iran, and flagged gaps in India’s diplomatic staffing and support for its diaspora.

Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh also sharply criticised Modi’s planned visit on X, saying the government has “abandoned” the Palestinians by going ahead with the trip despite ongoing Israeli attacks on civilians in Gaza and wider regional tensions.

He called the government’s stated commitment to a pro‑Palestinian stance “cynical and hypocritical.”

He additionally argued that elements of Israeli domestic politics, including opposition threats to boycott Modi’s Knesset address over judicial changes, further complicate the visit and should give New Delhi pause.