# Netanyahu invites Modi to light torch on Israel’s Independence Day 2026-10-22T13:41:38+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (22 October 2026) and invited him to light the torch on Israel's Independence Day alongside flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar, who averted a major aviation tragedy on 30 September 2026. Hindustan Times reports that Netanyahu said Modi expressed solidarity in the fight against terrorism and hailed the strong ties between the two countries. Modi acknowledged the call and said the leaders reviewed the sustained momentum in bilateral ties and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the partnership. The Ministry of External Affairs, as reported by Indian Express, said the two leaders exchanged views on developments in West Asia and underscored the urgent need to restore peace and stability. Modi reiterated India's call for dialogue and diplomacy. The leaders agreed to remain in touch. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Both Hindustan Times and Indian Express present the same facts from the phone call, but with different emphasis. Hindustan Times leads with Netanyahu's invitation and his framing of fighting terrorism together, quoting Modi saying ‘on land and in the air, India and Israel are fighting terrorism together.’ Indian Express, in contrast, gives more weight to the Ministry of External Affairs statement, highlighting Modi's call for ‘dialogue and diplomacy’ and the ‘urgent need to restore peace.’ The coverage is uniform in reporting the call itself, but the balance tips toward the security partnership in one version and toward diplomatic restraint in the other. The next step is the leaders' agreement to remain in touch. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 1 pro-government, 1 neutral - hindustantimes.com (pro government) Leads with terrorism solidarity framing, omits MEA statement - indianexpress.com (neutral report) Gives equal weight to Netanyahu's call and MEA statement This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Narendra Modi, Smit Machchhar, West Asia Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/netanyahu-invites-modi-to-light-torch-on-israels-independence-day/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/netanyahu-invites-modi-to-light-torch-on-israels-independence-day/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/