India's Modi addresses Israel's Knesset during visit

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed Israel's Knesset, or parliament, at the start of his two-day visit to the country that is set to deepen relations.

In his address, Modi told lawmakers that India stood with Israel "with full conviction" as he shared his nation's condolences over the October 2023 Hamas attack.

"Like you, we have a consistent and uncompromising policy of zero tolerance for terrorism, with no double standards," he said.

Both Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also addressed the parliament, spoke of terrorist attacks that their nations had faced.

Modi, became the first prime minister in India's history to visit Israel in 2017, during which he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took a barefoot stroll on a beach in the northern port city of Haifa.

An Israeli government official said the visit would "pave the way for new partnerships and collaborations across many fields". Bilateral ties were on the cusp of a significant upgrade, an Israeli foreign ministry official said.

The Israeli foreign ministry official said discussions with a "regional aspect" would likely take place during the visit.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting this week, Netanyahu described India as being part of a future "axis" of like-minded nations.

"(Our) cooperation can yield great results and, of course, ensure our resilience and our future," Netanyahu said.