Netanyahu invites Modi to light Israel torch with hero pilot Smit Machchhar

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to light a torch at Israel's Independence Day ceremony alongside Smit Machchhar, the Indian captain of a flydubai flight who was wounded while foiling an alleged attack in the cockpit. Netanyahu made the invitation in a telephone call with Modi on Thursday, October 22, 2026, and announced it on the social media platform X. Modi thanked him and said India and Israel stand together against terrorism. Reports have not said whether Modi has accepted.

Israel's torch-lighting ceremony is one of the country's most symbolic national events. It opens the Independence Day celebrations, and a small group of torchbearers, traditionally twelve, are chosen each year to honour contributions to Israeli society. Inviting a foreign head of government to take part is an unusual gesture, and pairing that invitation with an Indian airline captain turns a personal act of courage into a public symbol of the relationship between the two countries.

The underlying incident has drawn attention across West Asia. According to prosecutors in the United Arab Emirates, the co-pilot of flight FZ1073 used the cockpit's crash axe against the captain in an attempt to seize the aircraft. Machchhar, though wounded, opened the cockpit, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker. Netanyahu has said the captain's action prevented a disaster. The motive is still under investigation. Machchhar was later moved to Abu Dhabi for further medical care.

For India, the invitation reflects how closely New Delhi and Jerusalem now describe their partnership, especially on security and counter-terrorism. Modi's response framed the episode in exactly those terms. At the same time, India has been careful in its language on the wider regional conflict, and his readout of the call again stressed dialogue and diplomacy for West Asia. That balance matters because India has large interests across the Gulf, including millions of Indian workers, energy supplies and trade with Arab states.

The timing also has a domestic Israeli dimension. The call came five days before Israel's general election, in which Netanyahu faces a tight race, and public displays of strong ties with major powers are part of his campaign message. Whether Modi attends a ceremony that will be held after the election, and under whichever government is formed, is a separate decision for New Delhi.

Short-term: The invitation adds public warmth to India-Israel ties and brings international attention to the Indian pilot's role. New Delhi has not yet said whether the Prime Minister will attend.

Long-term: If Modi accepts, it would be a rare foreign leader's role in Israel's main national ceremony, likely to be read as a sign of deepening strategic ties. It may also draw attention from Arab partners, so India is likely to continue balancing its statements on the region.

Who is affected: The governments of India and Israel; Captain Smit Machchhar and the crew and passengers of flight FZ1073; Indian aviation professionals working for Gulf airlines; and India's diplomatic relations across West Asia.

Questions and Answers