Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani in Israel

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani today arrived here on a six-day trip to Israel to strengthen cooperation in the fields of internal security, water management and agriculture.

Rupani's visit to Israel comes months after he hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his state in January.

"We are happy to continue our strong partnership with Gujarat. It is a proud moment for us to host the Chief Minister of Gujarat and his delegation," Israeli ambassador to India Daniel Carmon said.

"We look forward to working with the Indian federal government, the government of Gujarat and other states to integrate relevant Israeli technology and innovation in the Indian agricultural ecosystem," he said.

Israel's Consul General in Mumbai will also accompany the chief minister.

It is Rupani's first visit abroad as chief minister and he will be accompanied by a delegation of top officials from the security, agriculture and water treatment related departments, besides several businessmen from the state.

During his visit, Rupani will meet members of the Gujarati business community who have been living in Israel since the 1980s.

Most of these businessmen are active in the diamond trade which constitutes more than fifty per cent of the total bilateral trade between India and Israel.

He will also visit the diamond bourse.

Israel has already assisted the Gujarat government in developing two centres of excellence for agriculture in Banaskantha and Kutch districts.

Several MoUs are likely to be signed during the visit to further strengthen cooperation in the field of water management and agriculture. He is likely to call upon Netanyahu and Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel during his visit.

He will also visit the Holocaust Museum (Yad Vashem) in Jerusalem and the Cemetery of fallen Indian soldiers during World War I in Haifa.