New Delhi

Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar on Wednesday confirmed that an invitation has been extended to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Israel, adding that preparations are underway and official announcements on dates will be made in due course.

"The invitation was extended. We are in preparations, and in due time, there will be declarations regarding specific dates," Azar said in an interview with ANI on the sidelines of International Holocaust Remembrance Day in New Delhi.

Speaking on the future of India-Israel ties, Azar described the partnership as a strategic one and said 2025 has been a particularly productive year, marked by ministerial engagements and the signing of key agreements, which include a bilateral investment treaty, security agreements, and progress toward finalising a free trade agreement and financial protocols, adding that cooperation in counter-terrorism remains a key pillar of the relationship.

"We have had an amazing year in 2025; we have many ministerial meetings and visits. We have signed several agreements, including the bilateral investment treaty. We want to finalise the free trade agreement and to sign financial protocols. We have signed the security agreement and will sign another one, hopefully soon. This partnership really is strategic in nature for both countries, and we are looking forward to enhancing it also in 2026," the Israeli Ambassador said.

Reflecting on the significance of Holocaust Remembrance Day, marked annually on January 27, the Ambassador said the observance serves as a reminder of the dangers of hatred, intolerance and racial supremacy. "The Holocaust was a systematic murder of Jewish people driven by a terrible ideology. Lack of tolerance can lead to very terrible results for humanity, and we have a shared responsibility to prevent that," he said.

Praising India's civilisational ethos, Azar highlighted the country's long tradition of pluralism and tolerance, noting that Jewish communities in India have historically lived without facing the persecution seen elsewhere.

"India has a civilisational tradition of tolerance. Jews have enjoyed their presence here, and we deeply appreciate that. This is part of the great friendship between our two civilisations," he said.

The Israeli Ambassador to India was speaking on the sidelines of the International Holocaust Remembrance Day event held in the national capital.

The day, marked on January 27, is observed to remember the six million Jews killed under the Nazi regime during World War II, seen as an act of antisemitism.

According to the United Nations, this date was chosen as it marks the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Death Camp on January 27, 1945.

Earlier, addressing the International Holocaust Remembrance Day event held in the national capital, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri drew a parallel to the October 2023, Hamas terror attack on Israel and said that India is "too familiar with such mindless brutality" and has its own share of experience as a victim of cross-border terrorism, in a veiled reference to the April 2025 terrorist attack which killed 26 people in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.

Misri said India immediately empathises with nations that face terrorism, recalling the killing of around 1,200 Israeli nationals and the abduction of hundreds during the Hamas attack.

"India is unfortunately too familiar with such mindless brutality, having been a victim of cross-border terrorism ourselves. We empathise immediately with those who undergo the same tragedy," Misri said.

He noted that India had strongly condemned the October 7 attack and reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement of solidarity with Israel.

"This is why we not only condemned this horrific terrorist attack and hostage-taking, but also our Prime Minister clearly stated that India stands with the people of Israel in the fight against terrorism," he added.

Reflecting on the significance of Holocaust remembrance, the Foreign Secretary said the lessons of history remain deeply relevant today.

"The Holocaust did not begin with the extinguishing of life. It began with words - words of hatred, words of dehumanisation, words of exclusion," Misri said, warning against the normalisation of prejudice, discrimination and silence.

He said remembering the victims of the Holocaust is both an act of moral courage and a solemn commitment to ensure that such crimes against humanity are never repeated. Misri also paid tribute to Holocaust survivors, acknowledging their resilience in the face of unimaginable suffering.

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He stressed that terrorism must be condemned in all its forms and manifestations and reaffirmed India's consistent support for genuine efforts aimed at peace and stability in West Asia.

Misri also welcomed progress under the Gaza Peace Plan, noting that the ceasefire and release of hostages have brought immense relief. "We earnestly hope these efforts lead to lasting peace and a durable resolution of conflicts in the region," he said.