Pledging to form an "iron alliance" against "extremist Islam", he called Israel a "protective wall against barbarism".
"The massacre of October 7 made it absolutely clear: either the jihadist axis of evil will break us, or we will break it," he went on.
"I… carry with me the deepest condolences of the people of India for every life lost and for every family whose world was shattered in the barbaric terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7."
Netanyahu, though, thanked Modi for his support for Israel and India's tolerance towards its long-standing Jewish communities.
"After this murderous attack, you stood in such a clear way, so moral, so sharp… We will never forget this," he said.
"In a world where antisemitism is rising, India stands out — a civilisation where Jews were never persecuted by the state, only welcomed. We don’t forget that, too. Thank you, India."
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves during a special plenum session in his honor at the Knesset in Jerusalem during his official visit to Israel on February 25, 2026 (Flash90)Flash90
The Israeli leader then reiterated his commitment to the Israel-Middle East- Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) initiative, a US-supported scheme to logistically connect India to Europe and the Middle East.
He also mentioned his hopes of forming a regional alliance, which he, earlier in the week, termed "an entire circle that encompasses the Middle East" against the Iran-led terror axis.
Multiple Indian news outlets have reported that Israel agreed to share technical details of the Iron Dome missile defence system with India as part of a “special strategic partnership”.
The two leaders are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding later this week to agree around £7billion in defence deals.
The creation of such a “special strategic partnership” is significant, given the term has previously only been used to described Israel’s relationship with Germany and the US, two of its largest defence partners.
Netanyahu's speech was delayed slightly as the opposition walked out of the chamber before he and Knesset speaker Amir Ohana took the podium in protests at the government's decision not to invite Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit to the session amid a political row with the judiciary.
MKs returned to the plenum before Modi's speech, however, with Opposition Leader Yair Lapid reassuring the Indian leader that their boycott was "not about you".
