India, Oct. 22 -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday and invited him to participate in Israel's Independence Day. The Israeli PM called upon PM Modi to light the torch on the occasion alongside flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar, who averted a major aviation tragedy earlier in September.

"I spoke with my friend, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and invited him to light the torch alongside a brave Indian pilot on Israel's Independence Day," he said, adding that PM Modi thanked him in return.

On September 30, Captain Smit Machchhar was attacked by his Omani co-pilot inside the cockpit as he prevented the latter's alleged bid to crash the flydubai flight FZ1073 travelling from Dubai t...