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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu Sunday in New York on defense cooperation in what is seen as a shift of India’s policy towards the Jewish state, said local media.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu Sunday in New York on defense cooperation in what is seen as a shift of India’s policy towards the Jewish state, said local media.
The Indo-Asian News Agency quoted the prime minister’s office as saying Monday that Netanyahu also invited Modi to Israel, which the latter accepted.
A statement from the Indian prime minister’s office said “The two leaders reviewed the robust relationship, and rapidly growing trade.
They also discussed how ties could be further expanded.”
Sunday’s meeting was the first high-level meeting between India and Israel since Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s 2003 visit to India. As chief minister of Gujarat, Modi had visited Israel in 2006. India had in the past strongly supported the Palestinian cause at the United Nations and the non-aligned movement.
However, India failed to condemn the Israeli military operation in Gaza in the summer this year, triggering protests at home.
Israel also briefed the Indian prime minister on its perception of the situation in West Asia, said Indian prime minister’s office in the statement.
“Defense ties and cooperation in the field of computer software, and cyber security were also discussed,” the statement said.
Modi made a pitch for Israeli investments and the two prime ministers discussed boosting bilateral trade that now stands at about 6 billion U.S. dollars, said Indo-Asian News Service.
India is importing defense equipment from Israel to diversify its sources of such procurement.
India also intends to import from Israel methods and technologies for farming in arid land and for water management, solid waste treatment in urban area, said the report.
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