Thread by @DaganLauren

What I learned from Modi’s speech in the Knesset

Prime Minister Modi’s address to the Knesset was a calculated political–security message, not a ceremonial gesture. The fact that this was the first time an Indian prime minister spoke in the Israeli parliament functioned as a

threshold moment is designed to justify an upgrade from cordial relations to a partnership with strategic depth and deliverables. Modi’s unusual decision to speak in English rather than his typical preference for Hindi also widened the target audience beyond Israel.

The message was aimed at external stakeholders as well, especially Washington, the Gulf states, and the broader economic–technological community. In effect, Modi positioned Israel within a wider regional–global architecture in which India seeks to expand influence, rather than

The message was aimed at external stakeholders as well, especially Washington, the Gulf states, and the broader economic–technological community. In effect, Modi positioned Israel within a wider regional–global architecture in which India seeks to expand influence, rather than

treating Israel as a standalone bilateral track.

The speech built a foundation of trust through a layered mix of biography, soft-power symbolism, and value-based language: referencing the day India recognised Israel, invoking yoga, and emphasising respect and friendship while

acknowledging Israeli gestures of respect toward India. The parallel Modi drew between Jewish halakha and the Hindu concept of dharma served as a normative bridgeנa shared vocabulary of moral duty, order, and correct action that reduces political friction and expands the public

legitimacy needed for cooperation in sensitive domains. In parallel, Modi’s dramatic tone regarding October 7 was a direct calibration to Israel’s security ethos: he signalled an understanding of Israeli threat perceptions and collective trauma, thereby widening the space for

deeper security dialogue.

For a security audience, the most consequential signal was institutional. Modi explicitly highlighted close cooperation in international frameworks and named IMEC and I2U2 as key platforms for expanding trade, investment, and infrastructure.

This indicates a shift from a procurement-centric logic to a capability-building approach: industrial integration, supply-chain resilience, and strategic connectivity through corridors, critical infrastructure, and technology as an enabling platformrather than one-off

transactions. Finally, the reference to Lt. Gen. J. F. R. Jacob and Modi’s claimed personal–professional connection after Jacob’s retirement added a “security heritage” dimension, presenting the relationship as rooted in people, institutions, and strategic memory not merely in

current interests.

The bottom line is this: the speech was designed to expand the political industrial operating space, provide public legitimacy for sensitive cooperation, and embed Israel within India’s broader strategy through IMEC and I2U2. The real test now is

implementationwhether the messaging translates into mechanisms, projects, and measurable outcomes, or remains at the level of symbolism.