Summary
The state visit of the Indian Prime Minister to Israel in February 2026 was a defining event in terms of elevating the relationship between the two countries to the level of a “Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation, and Prosperity,” where cybersecurity became the cornerstone of such upgrading through transforming the relationship into a collaborative ecosystem. The key outcomes included the signing of the Letter of Intent (LoI) towards establishing the India-Israel Cyber Centre of Excellence (CoE) in India and the creation of a long-term strategic roadmap. These joint efforts concentrate on securing CNI, using artificial intelligence as part of the threat detection system, and promoting the concept of "Security by Design." Although the collaboration is likely to increase the digital readiness of India and provide Israel with opportunities in the market, it poses risks related to the technology transfer and sharing of IP and geopolitical instability in the region.
Introduction
Cyber security in both India and Israel has become not just a technical imperative but a vital aspect of their national security. At the high-level visit of February 2026, both countries came to realize that their respective digital economies—the role of India as a world-class center for talent, and of Israel as the "Start-up Nation"—are interdependent on a secure cyberspace. The current cooperation between India and Israel is not only about reinforcing their existing bilateral ties but about forming an integrated framework of cyber security measures for the two countries. Cooperation between India and Israel in 2026 is marked by "Deep Tech," which involves the use of Artificial Intelligence and Quantum Computing in order to keep pace with emerging dangers. Instead of limited cooperation in the form of information sharing, this new approach entails the creation of joint institutions such as the Cyber CoE, which is evidence of long-term joint research and development of cyber security measures. It also marks a change in strategy from reactive measures to proactive protection through the initiation of the "Cyber Policy Dialogue".
Background
The history of India-Israel cyber defense cooperation goes back to 2018 and a landmark agreement in the form of a MoU; however, its real history begins from the years of intelligence sharing on the quiet. By 2025, the situation regarding the cybersecurity threat level worsened; Israel became responsible for about 12% of all cyberattacks globally driven by geopolitics, whereas India became a target for various forms of attacks. Recognizing that both countries share a lot of common problems, the India-Israel Cyber Policy Dialogue was established in March 2025 to analyze the threat landscape and, ultimately, led to a meeting at the summit in February 2026, during which cooperation between the two countries was taken to the next level diplomatically. Cooperation used to be limited to the private sector, when companies such as Check Point and Radware of Israel provided India with security systems to defend corporate networks from any threats. Nevertheless, the current agreements of 2026 involve Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), and the participation of NCIIPC, alongside INCD, shows a new direction of this partnership.
Key issues and analysis
Three major points of contention and opportunities are identified in post-2026 collaboration which need detailed analysis as follows:
- Technology transfer and Intellectual Property Sovereignty: A continuing problem is Israel's unwillingness to share "source codes" and technical expertise. Though "Joint Development" has been mentioned in the roadmap of 2026, it is known that Israeli businesses do not like to open-source their intellectual property (IP). Given the Indian policy of selfreliance in technology under Atmanirbhar Bharat, mere import of technologies in the "black box" form cannot fulfill its objective. Success of new Cyber CoE depends on its ability to support co-development.
- "Security by Design" pipeline security: The "Security by Design" initiative was launched at the 2026 conference. The initiative is relevant for India and Israel since both countries are integrating AI in their respective governance structure. There is an analysis suggesting possibility of creation of "dependency-trap" through heavy reliance on Israeli AIbased strategic risk-detection tools such as "Tech Scout". Possibility of "kill-switch" built-in into these tools or any other espionage activity through such systems cannot be ruled out.
- Geopolitical Affiliation v. Strategic Independence: This cooperation takes place under the umbrella of two projects: I2U2 (India, Israel, UAE, and USA) and IMEC (IndiaMiddle East-Europe Economic Corridor). Even though these initiatives provide a "minilateral" protection mechanism, the highly unstable situation in the Middle East region endangers the security of both infrastructure and technology systems. The relationship between India and Iran, which is one of the main cyber-adversaries of Israel, continues to be a stumbling block.
India’s stakes
India being the voice of global south aims to protect its national interest being Cyber safety sponsored by state actors and non- state actors. In this long journey Israel too faces same threat. India aims to secure infrastructure, increase capacity building and technological advancements. Israel's Cyber Spark initiative, a cybersecurity innovation hub in Be'er Sheva, exemplifies Israel's commitment to fostering collaboration among academia, government, and industry. (Laxminarayan, 2025) India with Israel aims to increase public- private partnership in cybersecurity.
India shares some of the similar constraints of cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure, financial institutions and government agencies. Terrorism itself has evolved in the form of cyberthreat targeting civilians and their personal data. In 2020, India experienced a series of cyber-attacks attributed to Chinese state-sponsored groups. These attacks targeted critical infrastructure, including power grids and telecommunications, highlighting the geopolitical tensions in the region. (Laxminarayan, 2025) This cooperation will enable India to collaborate with Israel's startups in cybersecurity innovation further more than seen in past years.
Challenges
- Foreign Policy - India focuses on strategic autonomy, communicating with Arab nations and at the same time dealing with Israel, takes it to the edge complicating ties. While Israel's close defence ties with China is a subject of concern.
- Militarised Cybersecurity - Israel's cybersecurity unit is closely linked to its military establishment with Unit 8200 an elite military intelligence unit, which may raise sensitivities in India regarding civilian- military boundaries in cyber cooperation.
- Economic Barriers - Financial constrains can affect the cooperation as allocation of funds for large scale procurements and research initiatives may face delay.
- Data Safety - Private institutions in cybersecurity raises concern of data protection, as most of the cloud storage used by entities are based outside the country.
- Capacity Building - India's ongoing efforts to strengthen technological education highlight the need for broader skill development to support sustainable cybersecurity cooperation and involve academia in this initiative.
- Geopolitical Context - India's neutrality on the ongoing US- Iran war, can affect its positioning in regional forums such as I2U2 and may influence the trajectory of cooperation with Israel.
Recommendations
- Trust Building - India-Israel should consider conducting cyber drills, increase their bilateral dialogue and indulge in cyber and AI conferences more to enhance trust building measures among both the countries. Israel being the leader of cybersecurity can host several conferences. Such measures would enhance resilience against cyber threats.
- Regulations - India- Israel should regulate public- private partnership in cybersecurity through a jointly established regulatory body supervising cooperative efforts. This mechanism would ensure data safety and clarify the role of military involvement, thereby strengthen trust and resilience in both countries.
- Prioritising Cybersecurity - Financial barriers can be tackled by prioritising cybersecurity, taking swift actions and reducing hierarchy which will indirectly affect capacity building as cybersecurity go hand in hand with it.
- Autonomy - India and Israel should establish a secure, dedicated communication channel between their cyber agencies to enable rapid threat intelligence exchange, while codifying protocols that safeguard national autonomy, ensuring effective coordination without compromising national independence.
Conclusion
India and Israel's cybersecurity cooperation, while facing certain challenges, offers significant potential to strengthen both nation's digital resilience. Building on their longstanding relationship, a structured and mutually beneficial framework can help advance shared security interests and contribute to global cyber stability. Cooperation on structured frameworks, capacity building, and information sharing can build resilience against evolving cyber threats. A Balanced partnership will not only strengthen national security, but also contribute to global cyber stability. Bilateral dialogues, trust building and policy coordination are essential to ensure cooperation receives its intended outcome. Together India and Israel are positioned as credible partners in shaping a secure digital future.