Netanyahu invites Modi to join Israel's Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony.
The Israeli leader praised pilot Smit Machchhar for foiling an alleged attack.
Modi and Netanyahu also discussed bilateral ties and West Asian stability.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday to light the ceremonial torch of Israel's Independence Day alongside Indian pilot Smit Machchhar.
In a post on X on Thursday, Benjamin Netanyahu said he had spoken to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and invited him to join the torch-lighting ceremony alongside the Indian pilot.
“Modi thanked me for the invitation and said that on land and in the air, India and Israel are fighting terrorism together. He also commended the strong and decades-old ties between us,” Netanyahu wrote.
Machchhar, a Gujarat-born captain flying for Flydubai, suffered serious injuries in late September after his Omani co-pilot attacked him in the cockpit.
Despite being hurt and the aircraft rapidly losing altitude, he managed to open the cockpit door, allowing others to step in and restrain the co-pilot. The aircraft later made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
In a post on X, Modi said the two leaders discussed the continued progress in India-Israel relations and reiterated their resolve to further strengthen bilateral ties.
“Received a phone call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. We reviewed the sustained momentum in our bilateral ties and reaffirmed our commitment to further strengthening our partnership. We also exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia and underscored the urgent need to restore peace and stability in the region," Modi wrote on Thursday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Israel on a state visit from February 25 to 26. During the visit, Modi and Netanyahu agreed to upgrade their bilateral ties to a new level, naming it the “Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation and Prosperity.”
Earlier this month, Netanyahu praised Indian pilot Smit Machchhar as a “hero of the entire world” during a phone call, after he reportedly foiled his co-pilot’s alleged attempt to crash a flight bound for Israel.
Machchhar was seriously injured last month when his co-pilot attacked him inside the cockpit of Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
