Israeli resident Reuven Rivlin visits India next week. India has had diplomatic relations with Israeli since 1992 and its economic and military ties with that country are getting stronger year after year. The two countries will be set to beef up defence ties and take up plans for more joint ventures and technology transfer. The visit will also be reciprocated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to Israel next year to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Israeli ambassador to India, Daniel Carmon has reiterated his country’s commitment to help India develop its weapons system and implement Modi’s Make In India initiative in the defence sector. Plans for fresh joint ventures are on the drawing board.
India is Israel’s largest buyer of military hardware. Tel Aviv has been supplying various weapons systems, missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles over the past few years. But the transactions have largely remained under wraps. President Rivlin will be accompanied by heads of top Israeli arms manufacturing companies and senior government officials dealing with defence related matters. It is also expected that a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries will be facilitated by the Israeli President’s visit. A number of pacts will also be signed in areas of education, energy, water, agriculture, and research and development. India reaching out to Israel is a new global reality. For decades, Delhi had supported the PLO against Israel. But in the last few years, it has been gradually veering towards equidistance to the two countries which are often engaged in hostilities. It cannot be denied however that India’s ties with the PLO have been traditionally stronger.