External Affairs Minister Jaishankar meets Israeli ministers, discusses terrorism and trade cooperation

Tel Aviv: A major diplomatic step has been taken to further strengthen relations between India and Israel. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Israel’s Minister of Economy and Industry, Nir Barkat, in Jerusalem on Tuesday. ​​During the meeting, discussions were held on promoting investment, innovation, and trade cooperation between the two countries. Jaishankar expressed confidence that the India-Israel Free Trade Agreement (FTA) would be finalized soon, giving new momentum to the economic partnership.

Jaishankar, who is on a two-day visit to Israel, also held talks with the country’s top leadership. He met with Israeli Foreign Minister Gidon Sa’ar, President Isaac Herzog, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This visit comes at a time when preparations are underway for Prime Minister Netanyahu’s proposed visit to India. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Netanyahu had a phone conversation, after which the Israeli Prime Minister indicated a meeting would take place soon.

FTA to boost investment and innovation
After his meeting with Nir Barkat, Jaishankar said that both countries have agreed to further promote investment and innovation cooperation. He said that the early completion of the India-Israel Free Trade Agreement would greatly benefit the economic partnership. Both countries are complementary in the fields of technology, startups, industry, and trade, and there is a need to leverage this.

India and Israel’s strict policy on terrorism
Jaishankar strongly condemned the terrorist attack that took place during the Hanukkah celebrations at Bondi Beach in Sydney. He said that both India and Israel follow a zero-tolerance policy against terrorism. Jaishankar thanked Israel for its continuous support in India’s fight against terrorism. He said that both countries are united against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

Meeting with Netanyahu
During his visit, Jaishankar also met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. He later posted about the meeting on X (formerly Twitter). Here, he conveyed warm greetings to Netanyahu from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The meeting discussed strengthening cooperation in the areas of technology, economy, skills and talent, connectivity, and security. Netanyahu’s views on regional and global situations were considered important. The statement expressed confidence that the India-Israel strategic partnership will further strengthen in the coming years.

Strategic Partnership and Regional Peace
The External Affairs Minister said that the India-Israel strategic partnership has strengthened considerably over the past decade. This includes government-to-government, business-to-business, and people-to-people contacts. Jaishankar reiterated India’s support for the Gaza peace plan and expressed hope that it would pave the way for lasting and sustainable peace in the region.

High-Level Visits and Growing Cooperation
Jaishankar’s visit comes at a time of continuous high-level exchanges between the two countries. Several Israeli ministers have visited India this year. Recently, the two countries signed a bilateral investment treaty and finalized the rules for the proposed FTA. In the defense sector, the two countries have also signed a significant agreement on sharing advanced technology and co-development.

Jaishankar had earlier participated in the Sir Bani Yas Forum in Abu Dhabi and also attended the India-UAE Joint Commission meeting. His itinerary after the Israel visit clearly indicates that India wants to further deepen its strategic and economic ties in West Asia. The India-Israel partnership is poised to reach new heights in the areas of trade, security, and technology in the coming years.