- Terrorism called crime against humanity
- India Israel Ties elevated formally
- Trade, defense cooperation to expand
- Agriculture, innovation partnerships strengthened
India Israel Ties: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reached Israel on an official visit, reiterated a firm stance on the issue of terrorism from there. He said that terrorism cannot be accepted under any circumstances and it is a crime against the entire humanity. His statement is being considered important in the regional context, as it is being seen as a clear signal to Pakistan.
In his address, the Prime Minister said that India and Israel have long stood together against terrorism and the forces that promote it. This cooperation will continue in the future as well. He emphasized that peace and stability in West Asia are directly linked to India’s interests, therefore New Delhi has always supported dialogue and peaceful resolution. Referring to the proposed peace initiative in Gaza, he expressed hope that it will create a positive atmosphere towards stability in the region. During this time, there were detailed discussions between the leadership of both countries on regional and global issues as well.
Why this visit remained special and emotional
Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the government there for the welcome he received on reaching Israel. He said that about nine years ago he got the opportunity to become the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel and this visit is also of special importance for him. He described the honor received from the Israeli Parliament as a symbol of the strength of relations between the two countries.
Relations now stronger, with a new identity
India and Israel have decided to further strengthen mutual relations by giving them the status of “Special Strategic Partnership.” The Prime Minister said that the relations between the two democratic countries are based on trust, shared values and mutual respect. In the past few years, the scope of cooperation has expanded and now it is being given new institutional strength.
What moved forward in trade, technology and defense
On the economic front, both countries have intensified efforts to increase investment and trade. The Prime Minister said that agreement was reached last year on a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) and the process of finalizing a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) is moving ahead. There is also understanding regarding implementing the digital payment system UPI in Israel, which is being considered a new chapter of technical cooperation.
Agreement was also expressed to deepen decades-old cooperation in the defense sector. Both countries will work towards taking defense partnership to the next level through joint production and technology transfer.
New initiatives together in agriculture and innovation
A plan has been made to take the benefit of Israel’s expertise in the agriculture sector to rural areas of India. Both countries have set a target to increase the number of ‘Centers of Excellence’ established in India to 100. Along with this, through the ‘Village of Excellence’ initiative, modern agricultural technology will be taken to villages, so that productivity and income of farmers can improve.
In addition, agreement has also been reached to establish the India-Israel Innovation Agriculture Center and the India-Israel Academic Forum in India, which will promote research, education and the startup ecosystem.
