New Delhi, January 28 (ANI): Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar on Wednesday confirmed that an invitation has been extended to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Israel, adding that preparations are underway and official announcements on dates will be made in due course.
“The invitation was extended. We are in preparations, and in due time, there will be declarations regarding specific dates,” Azar said in an interview with ANI on the sidelines of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day event in New Delhi.
Speaking on the future of India-Israel ties, Azar described the partnership as strategic and said 2025 had been a particularly productive year, marked by ministerial engagements and the signing of key agreements. These include a bilateral investment treaty, security agreements, and progress toward finalizing a free trade agreement and financial protocols. He added that cooperation in counterterrorism remains a key pillar of the relationship.
“We have had an amazing year in 2025; we have had many ministerial meetings and visits. We have signed several agreements, including the bilateral investment treaty. We want to finalize the free trade agreement and to sign financial protocols. We have signed the security agreement and will sign another one, hopefully soon. This partnership really is strategic in nature for both countries, and we are looking forward to enhancing it also in 2026,” the Israeli ambassador said.
Reflecting on the significance of Holocaust Remembrance Day, observed annually on January 27, Azar said the occasion serves as a reminder of the dangers of hatred, intolerance, and racial supremacy.
“The Holocaust was a systematic murder of Jewish people driven by a terrible ideology. Lack of tolerance can lead to very terrible results for humanity, and we have a shared responsibility to prevent that,” he said.
Praising India’s civilizational ethos, Azar highlighted the country’s long tradition of pluralism and tolerance, noting that Jewish communities in India have historically lived without facing the persecution seen elsewhere.
“India has a civilizational tradition of tolerance. Jews have enjoyed their presence here, and we deeply appreciate that. This is part of the great friendship between our two civilizations,” he said.
International Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed to commemorate the six million Jews killed under the Nazi regime during World War II, an act widely recognized as antisemitism. According to the United Nations, the date marks the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Death Camp on January 27, 1945.
Earlier, addressing the event in the national capital, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri drew a parallel with the October 2023 Hamas terror attack on Israel and said India is “too familiar with such mindless brutality,” citing its own experience as a victim of cross-border terrorism, in a veiled reference to the April 2025 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 people.
Misri said India immediately empathizes with nations that face terrorism, recalling the killing of around 1,200 Israeli nationals and the abduction of hundreds during the Hamas attack.
“India is unfortunately too familiar with such mindless brutality, having been a victim of cross-border terrorism ourselves. We empathize immediately with those who undergo the same tragedy,” he said.
He noted that India had strongly condemned the October 7 attack and reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement of solidarity with Israel.
“This is why we not only condemned this horrific terrorist attack and hostage-taking, but also our Prime minister clearly stated that India stands with the people of Israel in the fight against terrorism,” he added.
Reflecting further on the lessons of Holocaust remembrance, Misri warned against the normalization of prejudice, discrimination, and silence.
“The Holocaust did not begin with the extinguishing of life. It began with words — words of hatred, words of dehumanization, words of exclusion,” he said.
Misri said remembering the victims of the Holocaust is an act of moral courage and a solemn commitment to ensure such crimes against humanity are never repeated. He also paid tribute to Holocaust survivors, acknowledging their resilience in the face of unimaginable suffering.
The foreign secretary stressed that terrorism must be condemned in all its forms and manifestations and reaffirmed India’s consistent support for genuine efforts aimed at peace and stability in West Asia. He also welcomed progress under the Gaza Peace Plan, noting that the ceasefire and release of hostages have brought immense relief.
“We earnestly hope these efforts lead to lasting peace and a durable resolution of conflicts in the region,” he said.
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