Highlights and outcomes of the visit | - India and Israel decided to set aside the strain in the diplomatic ties after India’s vote at the UN on the East Jerusalem issue and the uncertainty over multi-million dollar Israeli Spike anti-tank missile deal. Despite these issues, there was considerable bonhomie between the two nations.
- in a bid to strengthen defence cooperation – the centre-piece of the bilateral relationship –PM Modi invited Israeli defence companies to take advantage of the liberalised FDI regime and participate in “Make in India” with Indian companies. This was New Delhi’s one of the most pronounced public articulation of Indo-Israeli defence cooperation in the last two-and-half decades.
- In the joint statement, they “called on the Defence ministries to hold discussions in 2018 with active involvement of the public and private sectors, in order to create the basis for viable, sustainable and long term cooperation in the defence industry”.
- According to the joint statement, both Prime Ministers noted that Israeli companies were ready to start joint ventures with Indian companies in the defence sector under the Make in India initiative. They consider it important to set the direction for developing more business models and partnerships for the joint ventures and joint manufacturing, including transfer of technology as well as joint research and development in defence and security fields.
- As the two sides discussed security cooperation, they ventured into cyber security – which has so far remained an area of cooperation between Israel’s and Indian private firms. There will be cooperation at the government level – between top cyber security agencies of the two countries. This assumes significance since many cyber attacks in India have originated from China, Iran and North Korea among other countries.
- Stressing that terrorism posed a grave threat to peace and security including from non-state actors, the two leaders reiterated that there can be “no justification for acts of terror on any grounds whatsoever and advocated strong measures against terrorists, terror organisations, those who sponsor, encourage or finance terrorism or provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups”.
- The two leaders decided that the next meeting of the Joint Working Groups on Homeland and Public Security will be held in February 2018, and the two countries reiterated the importance of building comprehensive cooperation in counter-terrorism, including cyber-space, and welcomed the signing of the MoU on Cooperation in Cyber Security between India and Israel.
- There was a noticeable difference compared to the joint statement issued during Modi’s visit to Israel in July 2017. While last year, both leaders committed to cooperate for the early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT), this time, there was no such reiteration.
- On the Palestine issue, the joint statement said that the two Prime Ministers discussed developments pertaining to the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process. “They reaffirmed their support for an early resumption of peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians for arriving at a comprehensive negotiated solution on all outstanding issues, based on mutual recognition and effective security arrangements, for establishing a just and durable peace in the region,” it said, without any specific reference to the status of East Jerusalem.
- Apart from a pact on cyber security, the two sides signed agreements which included cooperation in the oil and gas sector, film-co- production as well as amendments to an air transport pact.
- In a bid to strengthen bilateral trade and investment, the two sides will hold the next round of discussions in February 2018 in Israel. “Underlining the role of the private sector in trade and investment, both Prime Ministers urged the private sector to actively explore investment opportunities in both countries, including through the India’s flagship programmes such as Make in India, Start-Up India and Digital India,”
- They also announced joint research and development projects under the India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund (I4F).
- The two sides also agreed to holding Festivals of India and Israel in their respective countries in the Year 2019 as a further step to “solidify friendship between the peoples of both countries”
- Mr. Netanyahu is likely to attend the Raisina dialogue on Tuesday evening, where he will make the inaugural address.
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List of MoUs/agreements signed | This visit was of particular significance as both countries as both countries signed MoUs/agreements on almost all core aspects of bilateral cooperation. - MoU on Cyber Security Cooperation between India and Israel.
- MoU between the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Ministry of Energy on Cooperation in Oil and Gas Sector.
- Protocol between India and Israel on Amendments to the Air Transport Agreement.
- Agreement on Film-co-productionbetween India and Israel.
- MoU between the Central Council for Research in Homeopathy, Ministry of AYUSH and the Centre for Integrative Complementary Medicine, Shaare Zedek Medical Center on Cooperation in the field of Research in Homeopathic Medicine.
- MoU between Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) and the Technion- Israel Institute of Technology for cooperation in the field of space.
- Memorandum of Intent between Invest India and Invest in Israel.
- Letter of Intent between IOCL and Phinergy Ltd. for cooperation in the area of metal-air batteries.
- Letter of Intent between IOCL and Yeda Research and Development Co Ltd for cooperation in the area of concentrated solar thermal technologies.
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