Israel lauds India's BRICS role, 17+ MoUs signed after Modi's Feb visit
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Israel's Consul General to Midwest India, Yaniv Revach, has praised India's pragmatic approach to global diplomacy, saying New Delhi's participation in forums like BRICS reflects the country's growing clout and its ability to maintain strategic balance while engaging diverse international partners. Revach made the remarks in an exclusive interview on 13 September 2026, offering a candid Israeli perspective on India's evolving role in multilateral diplomacy.
India's BRICS Presidency: An Israeli Reading
Revach described India's involvement in BRICS as a 'fantastic opportunity' for New Delhi to amplify its global voice, particularly among Global South nations. 'I think it is very important that India, as a global power, is part of different international forums like BRICS. India is trying to maintain a balance and is very practical when it comes to promoting cooperation through these platforms,' he said.
He acknowledged that BRICS includes countries such as Iran — a geopolitical adversary of Israel — but stressed that India has nonetheless sustained and deepened its strategic ties with both Israel and the UAE. This comes amid India's 2026 BRICS presidency, which Revach said has given New Delhi a stronger voice on issues ranging from cyber cooperation and artificial intelligence to broader economic cooperation.
Post-Modi Visit: Over 17 Agreements Signed
Revach pointed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel in February 2026 as a turning point that accelerated bilateral momentum. 'After the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Israel in February, we signed more than seventeen different memoranda of agreements...agriculture, cyber technology, water cooperation, culture, defence, etc.,' he noted.
He highlighted joint initiatives in agriculture and water management as particularly impactful, describing them as a 'win-win' that merges Israeli technology with India's scale of implementation. Several excellence centres are currently being promoted across Indian states, he said, with more in the pipeline.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Monument at Haifa Port
Among the bilateral projects, Revach singled out a proposed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj monument to be erected at the Adani Port in Haifa as one of the most symbolically important. 'The statue is going to be placed at the Adani Port in Haifa. So, it is also a beautiful connection between India and Israel because we have an Indian port in Israel,' he said.
He added that the JJ School of Architecture is being finalised as the design partner for the monument, and that the project enjoys strong support from the Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office. The project underscores the layered, people-to-people dimension of the India-Israel relationship beyond security and trade.
Strategic Balance Amid Geopolitical Complexity
Revach's remarks reflect a broader Israeli acknowledgement of India's multi-alignment foreign policy, which sees New Delhi maintain warm ties simultaneously with Western democracies, the Gulf, Russia, and the Global South. Notably, India's presence in BRICS alongside Iran has occasionally drawn scrutiny from Western capitals, but Revach's framing signals that Israel does not view this as a threat to bilateral ties.
'We deeply respect India's role during this presidency, and we see how India is trying to promote strategic cooperation in different aspects,' he said. As India deepens engagements on multiple fronts, the coming months will test whether the institutional frameworks — from the 17-plus MoUs to the Haifa monument — translate into durable, ground-level outcomes.