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India, Israel firm up mobility pact; resolve to expand trade, defence ties
The Israeli foreign minister arrived this morning on a three-day visit but the trip was cut short in view of Tel Aviv's operation in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli foreign minister Eli Cohen arrived in India on Tuesday for a crucial political-economic visit aimed at strengthening the ties between the two nations. During his visit, Cohen called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held wide-ranging talks with external affairs minister S Jaishankar, defense minister Rajnath Singh, national security adviser Ajit Doval, and minister of jal shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
He was leading an economic delegation of 36 Israeli businesspersons, primarily from the water management and agriculture sectors, seeking to bolster bilateral cooperation in various fields.
Cohen's visit was curtailed due to the security situation in Israel. Israel carried out a series of targeted airstrikes in densely populated areas of the Gaza Strip early Tuesday, killing three senior commanders of the Islamic Jihad militant group and at least 10 civilians, reported Associated Press. Two of the commanders' wives, several of their children and other bystanders were killed in the attack.
"We did cut short the visit because of the situation in Gaza. We had a very good visit. He had four principal meetings with EAM Dr S Jaishankar, Defence Minister, PM Modi and NSA. The meetings reflected the very intimate and warm relationship that there are between India and Israel," Naor Gilon, Israel Ambassador to India, said.
The discussions between the Israeli and Indian officials highlighted the advancements made through the Israel-India Innovation Initiative (I2U2) and delved into a wide range of topics, including security, economy, technology, innovation, connectivity, and health.
Cohen inaugurated the CII India-Israel Business Forum, marking a significant step towards enhancing collaboration and partnership between the business communities of both nations. The event witnessed the signing of three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), ushering in a new era of cooperation.
The two sides inked an agreement that will allow 42,000 Indian workers to work in the Jewish state in the fields of construction and nursing, an Israeli readout said. Both countries also signed a letter of intent to establish two Centers of Water Technology in India, showcasing their commitment to addressing water-related challenges through innovation and technological advancements.
Underlining the significance of education, a groundbreaking project named "World on Wheels" (WoW Bus) was launched by the Embassy of Israel in India in the presence of Cohen. This initiative aims to promote digital literacy, personality development, and entrepreneurship training in rural areas of India. The embassy has been actively collaborating with local partners in India to implement various educational projects.
