India called for further broad-basing of its defense ties with Israel through production and manufacturing partnerships, with the Jewish country emerging as a key source of military hardware and technology as also a crucial partner in counter terrorism for Asia’s third largest economy.
The two countries also agreed to deepen their cooperation in areas ranging from trade and investment, agriculture, water resources and counter terrorism besides defence cooperation during talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin.
Rivlin is in India on a week-long visit, his first since taking office in June 2014. This is also the first visit by an Israeli President to India since 1996. A Presidential visit from Israel clears the decks for a visit by Modi to Israel next year—the first ever by an Indian Prime Minister—when the two countries mark 25 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations.
Indian President Pranab Mukherjee visited Israel last October as part of a three-nation tour—marking the highest level visit from India since 1992. And Rivlin’s visit completes the protocol requirements for a visit from Israel before Modi travels there. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could also visit India next year.
In his remarks to reporters after talks with Rivlin, Modi said the two countries had developed multifaceted ties in the past 25 years—in areas ranging from agricultural productivity, research and innovation, science and technology applications, trade and investment ties besides defence.
Referring to growing collaboration between the two countries, particularly in defence sector, Rivlin said his country is ready to “make in India and make with India”.
By Baishakhi Dutta
