Curated by Vinod Kumar Jain & Amit Jain · All Frontier Global · free, no login · reviewed 2026-07-05
Ancient holy sites, Mediterranean beaches and the Dead Sea
India and Israel are moving toward a free trade agreement after signing Terms of Reference in November 2025, alongside a landmark defense cooperation MoU covering joint production and technology sharing, with defense deals worth $8-10 billion discussed around Modi's early-2026 Jerusalem visit. The push follows the 2023-2025 Middle East war and the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, both of which sharpened India's interest in Israeli air-defense, drone and cyber capabilities. In January 2026, State Bank of India enabled rupee-based trade settlement with Israel, a small but symbolic step toward de-dollarizing a relationship where India has long been Israel's largest defense customer.
Trade agreements (7): Israel has FTAs with the US, EU (Association Agreement), EFTA and Mercosur; India and Israel have been negotiating a bilateral FTA, with strong defence and tech trade already in place.
Passport strength: visa-free/VOA to ~160 destinations. Strong visa-free travel; global acceptance.
India × Israel hub ↗ All countries factsheet
Indian passport holders currently need a visa for Israel, obtained in advance from the embassy, typically valid for stays up to 90 days. Many Western passport holders enter visa-free for up to 90 days.
e-Visa: yes · Visa on arrival: Varies by nationality
Tel Aviv has a new light rail (Red Line) and Jerusalem its own light rail; Israel Railways and Egged/Dan buses cover the country, all payable with a Rav-Kav card, though most transit halts for Shabbat from Friday evening to Saturday night.
Car vs taxi: Public transport is good in and between cities, so a car is optional; taxis and Gett (the local ride app) are convenient, while a rental helps for the Galilee, Negev and Dead Sea.
Money: The Israeli new shekel (ILS) is widely used with cards accepted almost everywhere; keep some cash for markets like Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda and small kiosks.
SIM & data: Local providers like Partner, Cellcom, Pelephone and HOT Mobile sell tourist SIMs; you can buy at Ben Gurion Airport or in the city, and eSIMs are popular for short visits.
Tipping: Tipping is expected in restaurants and cafes at 10 to 15 percent, usually in cash even when paying the bill by card; taxi drivers are typically not tipped.
Etiquette: Respect Shabbat and religious sites, dress modestly at the Western Wall and holy places (cover shoulders and knees, men cover heads at Jewish sites), and be aware of security screening at entrances.
Food: Sample hummus, falafel, shakshuka, sabich, and fresh salads; Israeli breakfasts are famous, and street food ranges from Jerusalem bagels to bourekas.
Say hello: Hebrew — “Shalom” · thanks “Toda” · how much? “Kama ze?”
Cities are generally safe with strong security presence, but the regional situation can change quickly, so follow official travel advisories and avoid border and conflict-affected areas.
For nomads: Tel Aviv is major tech hub with thriving startup ecosystem and coworking culture; excellent infrastructure.
Education: High-cost education system; private international schools expensive.
Healthcare: Excellent healthcare system; private care premium but high quality.
India’s role: India advances defense-supplier diversification via Israeli-tech (drones + missiles + radar + cyber + intelligence) + Make-in-India defense + I2U2 (India-Israel-UAE-USA) framework + bilateral strategic-partnership.
Israel→India defense-equipment flow is structural ($2B+ annually) · IAI Heron-TP drones + Rafael Spike-missiles + IAI-radar + Phalcon AWACS + Iron-Dome-equivalent + EL/M-2052 radar + Spice-2000 munitions anchor flow · Israel is among India's top-3 defense suppliers.
India’s role: India absorbs Israeli AgriTech via Mahindra-acquired-Netafim + 28 Centres-of-Excellence framework + Indo-Israel Agricultural Cooperation Action Plan; Indian agricultural-sector water-efficiency + yield-improvement priority.
Israel→India AgriTech + drip-irrigation flow · Netafim drip-irrigation + Mahindra-acquired-Netafim + Israeli AgriTech transfers + 28 Indo-Israel Agricultural Cooperation Centres-of-Excellence anchor knowledge + technology-transfer framework.
Indian passport holders currently need a visa for Israel, obtained in advance from the embassy, typically valid for stays up to 90 days. Many Western passport holders enter visa-free for up to 90 days.
Israel uses the Israeli new shekel (ILS). Capital: Jerusalem.
Israel has FTAs with the US, EU (Association Agreement), EFTA and Mercosur; India and Israel have been negotiating a bilateral FTA, with strong defence and tech trade already in place.
Cities are generally safe with strong security presence, but the regional situation can change quickly, so follow official travel advisories and avoid border and conflict-affected areas.