India-Israel relations                                                                                                                    

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Context: To mark 30 years of diplomatic ties, Israeli PM to visit India in first week of April to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

• The visit also aims to expand the cooperation between the two countries in the areas of innovation and technology, security and cyber, and agriculture and climate change.

Recent Development:

• India and Israel have launched a commemorative logo to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
• It features the Star of David and the Ashoka Chakra- the two symbols that adorn the national flags of both countries- and forms the numeral 30 depicting the 30th anniversary of bilateral relations.
• It symbolises the strong friendship, love and admiration that exists between the people of the two nations.

 

India-Israel relations:

 

Introduction:

• Israel and India established diplomatic relationson 29th of January 1992.
• The two countries have an extensive economic, military, and strategic relationship.

 

Political relations:

• Political ties between the two countries are friendly.
• Prime Minister Modi undertook an historic first ever visit by an Indian PM to Israel from 4-6 July 2017, during which the relationship was upgraded to a strategic level.

 

Economic and Commercial Relations

• India is Israel's third largest trade partner in Asia and seventh largest
• Major exportsfrom India to Israel include precious stones and metals, chemical products, textile etc.
• Major importsby India from Israel include precious stones and metals, chemicals and mineral products, base metals and machinery and transport equipment.
• Potash is a major item of Israel’s exportsto India.

 

Cooperation in agriculture

• Under a comprehensive Work Plan for cooperation in agriculture signed on 10 May 2006, bilateral projects are implemented through Centres of Excellence.
• India has benefited from Israeli expertise and technologies in horticulture mechanization, protected cultivation, orchard and canopy management, nursery management, micro- irrigation and post-harvest managementparticularly in Haryana and Maharashtra.
• Israeli drip irrigation technologies and products are now widely used in India.

 

Defence relations:

• India is the largest buyer of Israeli military equipmentand Israel is the second-largest supplier of military equipment to India after Russia.
• Military and strategic ties between the two nations extend to intelligence-sharing on terrorist groups and joint military training.

 

Indian Community:

• There are approximately 85,000 Jews of Indian-origin in Israel (with at least one Indian parent), who are all Israeli passport holders.

 

What can be done to further boost the ties?

• Free Trade Agreement: Both countries should push to negotiate the FTA, as attempt have been made over the past 14 years.
• Military cooperation: Both nations should look forward for transfer of defence technology alongwith defence equipment trade.
• Cooperation on Global issues: Israel supports India’s defence against terror and supported India’s nuclear tests in 1998.

 

Conclusion:

• India and Israel are natural partners. Relations between both nations are steadily growing and have many synergies and complementarities.

 

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/israeli-pm-naftali-bennett-7827648/