Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has officially announced that Israel is forging a strategic alliance with India, Greece, Cyprus, and other nations to counter what he describes as the 'Radical Axis'. 

This declaration came during a cabinet session on 22 February 2026, coinciding with news of an imminent visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel.

Netanyahu characterised the proposed coalition as a 'hexagon of alliances' encompassing countries around or within the Middle East. He explicitly named India, Greece, and Cyprus, alongside unspecified Arab states, African nations, and Asian partners. The framework aims to unite these partners on shared challenges and objectives, particularly against extremist threats.

The Israeli leader identified two primary adversaries: the 'radical Shia axis', dominated by Iran and its proxies, which Israel has aggressively targeted in recent operations, and an 'emerging radical Sunni axis'.

Sources indicate that the Sunni axis specifically concerns efforts by Turkey and Pakistan to court nations like Egypt and Saudi Arabia into an anti-Israel front.

This vision underscores Israel's intent to build a robust economic, diplomatic, and security bloc without reliance on external funding, such as from the United States. Netanyahu highlighted India's role as a global power with a uniquely close relationship to Israel, positioning it centrally in the hexagon.

Modi's forthcoming visit on 25-26 February 2026 is poised to solidify these ties. Discussions are expected to cover joint defence production, high technology, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing collaborations. Modi will address Israel's Knesset, join Netanyahu at an innovation event in Jerusalem, and visit Yad Vashem.

The timing aligns with broader geopolitical shifts, including Israel's focus on the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) and regional stability amid ongoing tensions. For India, this partnership advances its defence modernisation and indigenous manufacturing goals, leveraging Israeli expertise in advanced systems.

Netanyahu's remarks reflect a maturing India-Israel strategic partnership, evolving from defence imports to co-development amid shared concerns over radicalism in South Asia and the Middle East. Greece and Cyprus, longstanding Israeli allies in the Eastern Mediterranean, enhance the bloc's maritime and energy security dimensions.

Critics may view this as an escalation in proxy rivalries, with Turkey and Pakistan potentially intensifying outreach to Muslim-majority states. Nonetheless, the initiative signals a proactive Israeli diplomacy, integrating extra-regional powers like India to reshape Middle Eastern alignments.

In the context of global realignments under President Trump's administration, this hexagon could bolster non-traditional alliances against Islamist extremism. Observers anticipate formal agreements emerging from Modi's visit, marking a new chapter in multilateral counter-radical efforts.

Agencies