Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday, said that India and Israel will soon finalise a mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and announced the establishment of a “Critical and Emerging Technology Partnership” to deepen cooperation in the tech and innovation sectors.
PM Modi made the announcements at a joint press briefing in Israel as he concluded his state visit to the nation, reported news wire ANI.
The visit also witnessed the signing of 27 agreements – spanning across multiple sectors including cultural exchange, manufacturing, artificial intelligence and other sectors.
Modi visited Israel as the PM after nine years. His last visit was in 2017.
Israeli PM Netanyahu, wife see off Modi
PM Modi departed from Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion International Airport on Thursday, 26 February – where he was seen off by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu. Also present were Israeli Ambassador to India, Rueven Azar, and Indian Ambassador to Israel, JP Singh.
The historic visit saw the signing of 27 MoUs between India and Israel.
The historic meeting between PM Modi and PM Netanyahu saw collaborations on the fronts of high-tech artificial intelligence, quantum computing, economic, diplomatic and security collaboration.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi called on President Isaac Herzog and planted a tree in the Presidential Gardens under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative.
Modi also visited Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, paying homage to Holocaust victims and visiting the Book of Names Hall – that preserves the memory of millions who perished.
‘India-Israel G2G meeting’
Addressing the joint press briefing, Netanyahu hailed the visit by PM Modi and underlined how the two brilliant talent of the two countries can come together. “The meeting of minds and hearts that we have had here will continue”, he added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said that India and Israel have decided to hold a government-to-government (G2G) meeting in India at the earliest opportunity, adding that he looks forward to bringing the distinguished ministers present for the engagement.
Netanyahu noted that while PM Modi’s state visit was short, it was “extraordinarily productive and also extraordinarily moving”. He specifically recalled the Prime Minister’s address to the Knesset on Wednesday, stating, “I think there wasn’t a dry eye left in Israel after your moving statement yesterday in the Knesset”.