Netanyahu calls for Mediterranean Middle East alliance to counter ‘radical Islamic axis’ ahead of PM Modi’s Israel visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin his visit to Israel from February 25. Before his visit, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for the creation of “hexagonal alliances” to counter the rising “radical Islamist axis” in the region.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on Sunday announced plans to create a new Mediterranean Middle East alliance to counter the radical ‘Shiite’ and ‘Sunni’ axis.
“The vision is to build a strategic alliance in the Mediterranean and the Middle East that connects India, Arab states, African partners, Greece, Cyprus and other Asian countries,” Netanyahu said.

The goal is a unified bloc with a clear view of the region, in direct opposition to both the radical Shiite axis and the radical Sunni axis.

The alliance he envisions includes a six-party Middle East alliance that includes:

• India
• Arab countries
• African countries
• Greece
• Cyprus
• Asian partners

Emphasizing Prime Minister Modi’s visit, Netanyahu said, “On Wednesday, my friend Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will come to Israel. In the vision I see before my eyes, we will create a complete system of alliances around or within the Middle East.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Israel on February 25-26, 2026, his second visit after 2017. The visit aims to hold high-level talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on sectors such as defence, technology and trade.

Prime Minister Modi is also scheduled to address the Knesset and visit Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial.

Also Read: India eyeing advanced Anti-Ballistic missile defense agreement with Israel ahead of PM Modi’s visit

Netanyahu’s India-leaning stance

At the opening of our Cabinet meeting on Sunday, the Israeli Prime Minister said he sees India as a ‘global power’.

Describing Prime Minister Modi as a ‘dear friend’, the Israeli Prime Minister underlined his close bond with the Indian Prime Minister.

“Looking forward to seeing you in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Modi!” Benjamin Netanyahu wrote in an X post. To this, Prime Minister Modi responded: “Thank you, my friend, Prime Minister Netanyahu. I fully agree with you on the bond between India and Israel, as well as on the diverse nature of our bilateral relations. India deeply values ​​the enduring friendship with Israel, built on trust, innovation, and a shared commitment to peace and progress. I look forward to our discussions during my upcoming visit to Israel.”

At the opening of our Cabinet meeting this morning, I talked about the historic visit of my dear friend, our Prime Minister. @narendramodito Israel next Wednesday.

The bond between Israel and India is a strong alliance between two global leaders. We are partners… pic.twitter.com/8cW2ltKdzK– Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) February 22, 2026

“The bond between Israel and India is a strong alliance between two global leaders. We are partners in innovation, security and shared strategic vision. Together we are building an axis of nations committed to stability and progress,” Netanyahu said.

Thank you my friend Prime Minister Netanyahu.

I completely agree with you on the bond between India and Israel as well as the different nature of our bilateral relations. India deeply values ​​the enduring friendship with Israel based on trust, innovation and shared determination… https://t.co/snGra7RB3g—Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 22, 2026

From artificial intelligence to regional cooperation, New Delhi and Tel Aviv’s partnership continues to reach new heights.

The partnership between the two countries has grown into a strong strategic partnership since the 1990s, accelerating under the Modi-Netanyahu administration with annual trade of over $10 billion, defense deals such as Barak-8 missiles, and shared technology for unmanned aerial vehicles and artificial intelligence.

What is the Mediterranean Middle East alliance?

The “hexagonal alliance” proposed by Benjamin Netanyahu envisions a six-party coalition spanning the Mediterranean and the Middle East, uniting Israel with India, selected Arab and African countries, Greece, Cyprus and other Asian partners to counter radical Shiite and emerging Sunni threats.

What he describes as creating an axis of nations that simultaneously sees the realities, challenges and goals facing the region.

The envisaged alliance puts India in direct opposition to proxies of Iran’s ‘radical Shiite axis’ and the ‘rising radical Sunni axis’, stabilizing the unstable Middle East through united security and economic fronts.

The proposed alliance would operate primarily through deepened economic cooperation, diplomatic alignment and security cooperation against Shiite networks and rising Sunni extremism.