India and Israel sign two agreements

India and Israel have signed two agreements in the field of agriculture and water resources management. The agreements were signed in New Delhi after delegation level talks between the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting President of Israel Reuven Rivlin. Further, both the countries have also agreed to strengthen their cooperation to deal with the growing menace of terrorism and radicalization. The two have also called upon the international community to act against the terror networks and those states that harbour them.

Highlights

• Israel has clearly reiterated its support to India’s permanent candidature in the reformed UN Security Council (UNSC).
• Israel has emerged as a key partner in the spheres of security, defence and agricultural among others. In recognition of the growing defence partnership, the two countries have agreed to make it more broad-based in production and manufacturing. In addition, India has immensely benefitted from Israel’s expertise in technologies related to horticulture, micro-irrigation and post harvest management.
• The two countries agreed to promote people to people contacts and enhance educational exchanges.

Significance

President Rivlin is the second Israeli president to visit India in almost two decades. After the visit of Israel’s former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in 2003, no head of government/State from Israel visited India and no Indian Prime Minister had visited Israel. India’s longstanding ties with Palestine forced successive governments in Israel to maintain a low-key relationship with India. President Rivlin’s visit marks 25 years of formal diplomatic ties with Israel set up by the PV Narasimha Rao government in 1992.