Israel wants to take India ties to next level

[SpArK]

Israel wants to take India ties to next level​

Jerusalem: The biggest dream of Israeli President Shimon Peres is to go to India, if he gets an invitation, said one diplomat. Shimon Peres would very much enjoy his visit to India, said another.

That was the broadest hint one got of Israel's keen desire to take its relationship with India to the next level, somewhat on the pattern of New Delhi's strategic partnership with the United States, which is the closest ally of the Jewish state too.

As it is, despite India's support for the Palestinian cause, New Delhi and Tel Aviv have a wide-ranging relationship encompassing defence, economic cooperation, agriculture, food security and scientific cooperation.

India is the largest customer of Israeli military equipment and Israel is the second-largest military partner of India after the Russian Federation with a military business worth around $9 billion.

India is also the second-largest Asian economic partner of Israel with bilateral trade, excluding military sales, standing at about $5 billion, up from a mere $200 million in 1992 when the two established formal relations. An extensive bilateral free trade pact is also in the works.

"There is a huge interest in India," officials told a group of Indian journalists from Washington during a recent visit, noting that some 50,000 Israelis visit India every year with many a youth taking advantage of the time off they get after doing compulsory military service, three years for men and two for women, on turning 18.

But lack of exchanges has kept the profile of relationship low, lamented officials seeking a dialogue at the top with more high-level visits on both sides.

"I believe India has all kinds of interest in the Arab world," said one senior official. But notwithstanding that, India can still raise the level of its relationship with Israel too as "there is a lot to aspire."

With "Iran working hard to acquire a nuclear weapon, though there is evidence that they are there yet," the Israelis would like India "to be more active in efforts to persuade Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions".

"There are many ways to do it," said an official ambiguously without spelling out how even as he acknowledged that "India of course is respecting and implementing the UN sanctions" against Iran.

Indian diplomats in Tel Aviv too took note of the "thriving" relationship with Israel thanks to their similar societies, a long and peaceful Jewish presence in India and presence of 70,000 Indian Jews in Israel.

The then External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna visited Israel in January against the backdrop of the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal and Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahai followed subsequently.

But given Israel's increasing isolation over its defiant actions after the United Nations General Assembly voted to grant "non-member observer state" status to the "Palestinian entity," a visit at the highest political level may be hard to come by any time soon.



Israel wants to take India ties to next level | ummid.com

 

[selvan33]

actually this is the right time for our GoI to take INDO ISRAEL relation into next level. And i hope it will happen in a very soon time with a high progress in our relation with israel.

 

[PlanetWarrior]

Not whilst Israel is building 3000 new settlements in Gaza. India needs to retain a diplomatic conscious.

 

[Contrarian]

Israel is being very unilateral in its actions. This needs to be discouraged.

 

[The A-5]

Not whilst Israel is building 3000 new settlements in Gaza. India needs to retain a diplomatic conscious.

Supporting Palenstinian cause shall not benefit India in any productive way.

 

[PteX]

Not whilst Israel is building 3000 new settlements in Gaza. India needs to retain a diplomatic conscious.

No one is building anything in or even near Gaza. In fact, we've dismantled every single settlement near Gaza in the name of peace and we've got a barrage of rockets on our cities for thanks.

So if you must be biased, check your information next time.

 

[PlanetWarrior]

No one is building anything in or even near Gaza. In fact, we've dismantled every single settlement near Gaza in the name of peace and we've got a barrage of rockets on our cities for thanks.

So if you must be biased, check your information next time.

Heck, I live in Africa. The news here is blaring out that Israel is building 3000 new settlements in Gaza. I just regurgitated what I heard from our news channels (SAPA is affiliated to CNN). But thanks for educating me. Perhaps your government should be more proactive in countering propaganda?

 

[PteX]

Heck, I live in Africa. The news here is blaring out that Israel is building 3000 new settlements in Gaza. I just regurgitated what I heard from our news channels (SAPA is affiliated to CNN). But thanks for educating me. Perhaps your government should be more proactive in countering propaganda?

People believe what they want to believe. The propaganda simply encourages and justifies their prejudice.

When it comes to Israel: TV is reality and fact is fiction.

 

[PlanetWarrior]

People believe what they want to believe. The propaganda simply encourages and justifies their prejudice.

When it comes to Israel TV is reality and fact is fiction.

Propaganda can be countered. Israel has a strong diplomatic presence in Southern Africa and more so in South Africa. Perhaps your ambassador should do his/her job and respond when the media all over Southern Africa 2 days ago was blasting CNN verified news that Israel is building 3000 new settlements in Gaza to counter the attacks on Israel?

 

[MilSpec]

I would like to see:
Civilian
A joint collaborative effort in India at building a joint Indo-israeli university.
A dedicated joint Agricultural research center for innovation increasing productivity.
Extended student exchange program for both countries.
Increase in effort for tourism in both countries.
Extended co-operation in investment, and exploration in energy sector
Extended role for Indian wind energy companies in Israel
Treaty on mutual co-operation and promotion of economic interests.
Strategic
Joint military exercises, extended participation of Israeli airforce with Indian Airforce
Possibility of Israeli expertise in AMCA sub systems
License production of derby and python missile systems
Israeli Sufa's participation for DACT training for Indian air force, Mig 29's participation for DACT training of Israeli air force
Joint Naval exercises, better co-ordination and operational understanding
Joint counter terrorism exercises.

 

[sancho]

No one is building anything in or even near Gaza. In fact, we've dismantled every single settlement near Gaza in the name of peace and we've got a barrage of rockets on our cities for thanks.

So if you must be biased, check your information next time.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday to avoid "one-sided moves", amid uproar over Israeli plans to build 3,000 settler homes in a highly sensitive area of the West Bank.

Germany's Merkel cautions ally Israel on settlements | Reuters


He is right about the settlement policies and this is actually the biggest problem, besides the constant threats towards Iran out of political reasons, that actually works against the efforts to stop them from working on nuclear bombs, be it from European countries, the US or even India.

 

[PteX]

Germany's Merkel cautions ally Israel on settlements | Reuters


He is right about the settlement policies and this is actually the biggest problem, besides the constant threats towards Iran out of political reasons, that actually works against the efforts to stop them from working on nuclear bombs, be it from European countries, the US or even India.

I don't hear this worthless orgnization telling the PA ministers to stop supporting terrorism and hatred against Israel. Or for them to stop naming streets in the West Bank after terrorist suicide bombers, or calling for sanctions against Israel for defending herself against terrorists.

The EU's opinion means nothing to me. They are, were and will be forever the antisemetic nations.

Israel has few true friends and Germany isn't one of them.

This "settlement" Merkel was talking about is in our capital Jerusalem . Anyone who tells us we have no right to build in our capital is no friend of Israel.

 

[PteX]

Propaganda can be countered. Israel has a strong diplomatic presence in Southern Africa and more so in South Africa. Perhaps your ambassador should do his/her job and respond when the media all over Southern Africa 2 days ago was blasting CNN verified news that Israel is building 3000 new settlements in Gaza to counter the attacks on Israel?

The SA government is a very anti-Israel country. They are trying to present themselves as a nation free of their Apartheid days by attacking Israel while they are still an Apartheid state.

 

[sancho]

The EU's opinion means nothing to me.

That's actually the reason why this will go on and on, because Israelis will continue to do what "they" think is right, without really to go for a solution to end this problem. As long as you have the support of the US and the west it won't be a problem, but in the recent years Israel has done more to undermine International relations, than to improve them. That's why more and more countries openly states their concern and that indeed should be something Israelis should think about!

Btw, imo you have a way bigger problem coming up in the future, which you can't handle without US or European help, Turkey! But that's another issue and we should get back to topic again.

I want Israel and India to join in the AURA UCAV development, which will offer both countries an important capability for the future!

 

[Tshering22]

Not whilst Israel is building 3000 new settlements in Gaza. India needs to retain a diplomatic conscious.

Israel is free to do what it wnts in its country. It is time that some people in our country start realizing their identity and don't forget that and mix it up with others' internal problems.