Israel PM calls on President Kovind, served olive tea

In a shining example of India-Israel cooperation in agriculture, olive tea was served to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he called on President Ram Nath Kovind here on Monday.

"The olive tea that was served to the Israeli Prime Minister at Rashtrapati Bhavan was produced in Bikaner by Rajasthan Olive Cultivation Ltd, a joint venture between the government of Rajasthan and Israeli partners," the President's Secretariat said in a statement.

According to the statement, Kovind told Netanyahu that his visit to India is a culmination of celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Israel.

"Our warm and friendly ties are growing stronger. In a little over two years, the two countries have exchanged Presidential and Prime Ministerial visits," he said.

Stating that bilateral cooperation has expanded manifold, Kovind said that political understanding, security cooperation and technology partnerships are key pillars of strategic engagement between India and Israel.

He emphasised that collaboration in newer areas such as space, cybersecurity and innovation will add depth to our partnership.

The President said opportunities lay before the two countries in the fields of investment, manufacturing, services, start-ups and technology.

He appreciated the presence of Israeli companies in India, especially in the water, defence, technology and pharmaceutical sectors. He urged them to partner India in its programmes such as Make in India, Clean India, Smart Cities and Digital India.

The President said the India-Israel security cooperation is defined by "our common fight against terrorism".

"This challenge is eating into the vitals of our society," Kovind said. "Our counter-terrorism cooperation is progressing well but we need to do more. We need to work together to develop a strong global response to defeat terrorism in all its manifestations."

The President said India appreciates Israel's cooperation in the field of agriculture.

"Israel has taught India to do more with less," Kovind said. "Israel's support has served our farmers exceedingly well, especially in water-deficient areas. As we work to make our farming choices more sustainable, we will seek more Israeli support."

Earlier on Monday, India and Israel signed nine agreements across multiple sectors after delegation-level talks headed by Netanyahu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Netanyahu, accompanied by a 130-member business delegation, arrived here on Sunday on a six-day visit to India that will also see him going to Agra, Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

This is the first Prime Ministerial visit from Israel to India in 15 years after that of Ariel Sharon in 2003.

--IANS

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