30-years of India-Israel friendship: PM Modi says 'time to set new goals' to take forward ties
"The history of the relationship between our countries is very old. There has been a strong relationship between the people of India and Israel for centuries," the Prime Minister said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday praised the decades-old relationship between India and Israel as he asserted that the cooperation between the two countries has played a key role in the growth stories of the two nations. He issued a special video message, marking 30 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Israel.
"The history of the relationship between our countries is very old. There has been a strong relationship between the people of India and Israel for centuries," the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi this period has been very important for both countries and there cannot be a better time to set new goals for taking forward India-Israel relations. "Today, when the world is witnessing important changes, the importance of India-Israel relations has increased even more. I am fully confident that the India-Israel friendship will achieve new milestones in mutual cooperation in the coming decades," PM Modi added
Though India had recognised Israel on September 17, 1950, full-fledged diplomatic relations between the countries were established on January 29, 1992. Since then, the bilateral relations between both countries have developed into a multifaceted strategic partnership.
Earlier this week, Israel's envoy to India Naor Gilon also emphasised that the 30th anniversary of India-Israel diplomatic ties is a good opportunity to look ahead and shape the next 30 years of relations.
Emphasising that "friendship and trust" are not only positive traits but also "real assets", the foreign ministers of India and Israel in a joint op-ed for an Israeli daily on Friday said the two countries have worked together to "deepen their roots" for the last three decades, delving together to find solutions to common challenges, including in the security sector.
Meanwhile, the Teen Murti Haifa Chowk in the national capital lit up in Indian and Israeli colours on Saturday to celebrate 30 years of friendship between India and Israel.
Earlier known as Teen Murti chowk, it was renamed as Teen Murti Haifa Chowk on January 2018 during the former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visit to India.
The three bronze statues at Teen Murti represent the Hyderabad, Jodhpur and Mysore Lancers, who were part of the 15 Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade, which carried out the victorious assault on the fortified Israeli city of Haifa on September 23, 1918, during World War I.
(With agency inputs)