NETANYAHU INVITES MODI TO ISRAEL’S INDEPENDENCE DAY CEREMONY, HONOURS INDIAN PILOT WHO FOILED COCKPIT ATTACK

October 22, 2026

JERUSALEM, OCTOBER 22, 2026 — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to participate in Israel’s Independence Day torch-lighting ceremony alongside an Indian pilot who thwarted an attempted cockpit attack, highlighting the growing ties between the two countries and the pilot’s act of courage.

The invitation places the Indian aviator at the centre of a national ceremony traditionally associated with recognising individuals whose actions and contributions are considered significant to Israel. Netanyahu’s proposal also offers a symbolic opportunity to celebrate cooperation and friendship between India and Israel.

The pilot reportedly intervened to prevent an attack inside an aircraft’s cockpit, an incident that underscored the importance of vigilance and quick decision-making in aviation security. Further details surrounding the attempted attack and the circumstances of the pilot’s intervention were not immediately available in the information provided.

By inviting Modi to join the ceremony, Netanyahu has extended a gesture of diplomatic significance at a time when India and Israel maintain close relations across several areas, including defence, technology, agriculture and security.

India and Israel have steadily expanded their bilateral engagement since establishing full diplomatic relations in 1992. Their partnership has developed through high-level political exchanges and cooperation in areas of strategic and economic importance.

The proposed appearance of Modi alongside the Indian pilot would bring together a diplomatic gesture and recognition of individual courage. It would also underscore the role of aviation professionals in protecting passengers and preventing potentially serious security incidents.

Further details concerning the ceremony and the Indian government’s response to the invitation were not immediately available.