Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday spoke with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi over the phone and invited him to light a torch alongside Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar on Israel's Independence Day.
In a post on X, Netanyahu said Modi had thanked him for the invitation and expressed appreciation for the strong, long-standing ties between the two countries.
"I spoke with my friend, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and invited him to light a torch alongside a brave Indian pilot on Israel's Independence Day," Netanyahu said.
He added that Modi had said India and Israel were fighting terrorism together "on the ground and in the air".
In a separate post, Modi said the two leaders reviewed the sustained momentum in bilateral ties and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the partnership.
"We also exchanged views on recent developments in West Asia and underscored the urgent need to restore peace and stability in the region," Modi wrote on X.
The invitation comes after Captain Machchhar was seriously injured while attempting to stop his co-pilot from allegedly trying to hijack a Dubai-Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight on September 30. The aircraft was carrying 174 passengers.
Machchhar reportedly confronted the co-pilot inside the cockpit and managed to open the cockpit door, allowing other crew members and passengers to enter and overpower the co-pilot, averting a potential catastrophe. The aircraft made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, and the passengers reached Israel safely later that day.
Netanyahu had also spoken with Machchhar on October 3, praising his courage and inviting him to light a celebratory flame alongside Modi during Israel's Independence Day ceremony.
"Captain, I want to invite you and my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to light a celebratory flame on our next Independence Day. You are a true hero of the brave peoples of India and Israel, and you're a hero of the entire world," Netanyahu told the pilot.
The Israeli leader said the honour was usually reserved for Israeli citizens but expressed confidence that the country's people would welcome Machchhar.
"I'm amazed at your courage, at your coolness of judgement under impossible conditions," Netanyahu said, adding that the pilot had saved many lives and inspired people around the world.
Earlier this month, Israeli President Isaac Herzog also invited Machchhar to Israel to honour him with the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism.
The India-Israel relationship was elevated to the level of a strategic partnership during Modi's first visit to Tel Aviv in July 2017. Modi visited Israel again in February this year.
Machchhar, who has been hailed as a hero by both Modi and Netanyahu, is undergoing treatment at a hospital in the United Arab Emirates.
(With agency inputs from PTI and ANI)