Sushma Swaraj likely to visit Israel in January - The Times of India
NEW DELHI: Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj is likely to visit Israel next month in what will be only the second visit by an Indian foreign minister to the country in over a decade. Official sources said the political upheaval in Israel, which saw PM Benjamin Netanyahu recently dissolving Parliament and calling for polls in March, was not likely to impact Swaraj's visit to the country in January 2015.
With both countries now more open about bilateral relations, including their defence and security cooperation, Israel is hoping that the visit by Swaraj will pave the way for a visit by PM Narendra Modi next year.
If that happens, Modi will become the first Indian PM to visit Israel since the 2 countries established diplomatic relations in 1992. A top Israeli government source told this newspaper in Jerusalem recently that a visit by an Indian PM was now not "as unlikely as it was until early this year".
S M Krishna was the last foreign minister to visit Israel in 2012. The visit marked the 20th anniversary of establishment of full diplomatic ties between India and Israel. BJP's Jaswant Singh visited Israel as foreign minister in 2000.
Israel is one of the top arms suppliers to India and the 2 countries are now looking to firm up cooperation in maritime and cyber security. Israel is looking to make available for Indian authorities technology offered by its start ups like Windward, known for its satellite-based maritime analytics system which can prevent rogue ships from concealing their identity and location. India is Israel's top defence market accounting for sales worth over a $ 1 billion annually.
Sources told this newspaper that Swaraj, who is also chairperson of Indo-Israel Parliamentary Friendship Group, may seek to balance things out by also visiting Ramallah in West Bank during her Israel tour. The Modi government has emphasised on several occasions that there will be no change in India's policy of "extending strong support" to the Palestinian cause even as it continues to maintain good relations with Israel.
Modi himself is known to have an affinity for Israel, made manifest by his meeting with his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on the side lines of UNGA in New York earlier this year. This was again the first meeting between the prime ministers of India and Israel in over a decade. Then Israel PM Ariel Sharon visited India in 2003 for a bilateral meet with A B Vajpayee.
Netanyahu, in fact, invited Modi in New York to visit Israel as he said that sky was the limit for India-Israel ties. The issue was discussed between the two sides during Union home minister Rajnath Singh's recent visit to Israel. Sources said that Israel will officially sent another invite to Modi for the visit once more progress is made over the issue through diplomatic channels.
NEW DELHI: Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj is likely to visit Israel next month in what will be only the second visit by an Indian foreign minister to the country in over a decade. Official sources said the political upheaval in Israel, which saw PM Benjamin Netanyahu recently dissolving Parliament and calling for polls in March, was not likely to impact Swaraj's visit to the country in January 2015.
With both countries now more open about bilateral relations, including their defence and security cooperation, Israel is hoping that the visit by Swaraj will pave the way for a visit by PM Narendra Modi next year.
If that happens, Modi will become the first Indian PM to visit Israel since the 2 countries established diplomatic relations in 1992. A top Israeli government source told this newspaper in Jerusalem recently that a visit by an Indian PM was now not "as unlikely as it was until early this year".
S M Krishna was the last foreign minister to visit Israel in 2012. The visit marked the 20th anniversary of establishment of full diplomatic ties between India and Israel. BJP's Jaswant Singh visited Israel as foreign minister in 2000.
Israel is one of the top arms suppliers to India and the 2 countries are now looking to firm up cooperation in maritime and cyber security. Israel is looking to make available for Indian authorities technology offered by its start ups like Windward, known for its satellite-based maritime analytics system which can prevent rogue ships from concealing their identity and location. India is Israel's top defence market accounting for sales worth over a $ 1 billion annually.
Sources told this newspaper that Swaraj, who is also chairperson of Indo-Israel Parliamentary Friendship Group, may seek to balance things out by also visiting Ramallah in West Bank during her Israel tour. The Modi government has emphasised on several occasions that there will be no change in India's policy of "extending strong support" to the Palestinian cause even as it continues to maintain good relations with Israel.
Modi himself is known to have an affinity for Israel, made manifest by his meeting with his counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu on the side lines of UNGA in New York earlier this year. This was again the first meeting between the prime ministers of India and Israel in over a decade. Then Israel PM Ariel Sharon visited India in 2003 for a bilateral meet with A B Vajpayee.
Netanyahu, in fact, invited Modi in New York to visit Israel as he said that sky was the limit for India-Israel ties. The issue was discussed between the two sides during Union home minister Rajnath Singh's recent visit to Israel. Sources said that Israel will officially sent another invite to Modi for the visit once more progress is made over the issue through diplomatic channels.
