India will soon give final shape to a mutually beneficial free trade agreement with Israel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday.
“The two countries will also pursue joint development, production, and transfer of technology in defence,” said PM Modi after delegation-level talks with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
As part of this two-day state visit, the Prime Minister also met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, a meeting that underscored the growing strategic depth and global relevance of the India-Israel partnership.
Describing the relationship as one that can serve the wider world, PM Modi said India and Israel “can be a powerful force for global good.” He highlighted Israel’s expertise in areas such as water conservation and agriculture, noting that India has adopted several Israeli best practices with encouraging results.
President Herzog praised India’s rapid economic growth and expanding global influence, calling India “an essential part of a great future for the Middle East.” He added that Israel, too, could play an important role in India’s future development trajectory. Emphasising innovation-driven growth, Herzog pointed to the potential for deeper collaboration between Indian and Israeli universities, research institutions and young entrepreneurs.
“We should recognise the young Indian talent across the globe – students in colleges, universities and research centres – who are driving innovation,” Herzog said, encouraging greater academic exchanges and student mobility between the two countries.
PM Modi also planted a sapling at the Presidential residence under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative, symbolising environmental responsibility and the personal warmth between the two leaders. He also invited President Herzog to visit India, expressing confidence that the Indian people would warmly welcome him.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister paid homage at Yad Vashem, Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. Accompanied by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he laid a wreath at the Hall of Remembrance and visited the Book of Names, which commemorates millions of Jewish victims. This marked PM Modi’s second visit to the memorial, the first being in 2017.
On Wednesday, the Israeli Parliament, Knesset, conferred the “Speaker of the Knesset Medal” on PM Modi in recognition of his personal leadership in strengthening India-Israel strategic relations. PM Modi also addressed a special plenary session of the Knesset – becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to do so – and received a standing ovation.
(With agency inputs)
