BBC online :
Diplomatic talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu are set to begin on Monday during the latter’s first official trip to India.
Modi accorded Netanyahu a warm welcome when he arrived on Sunday and vowed to “further cement the close friendship” between Israel and India.
The highly publicised visit comes after New Delhi voted against the United States decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel at the UN General Assembly last month.
But despite India’s record in abstaining or voting against Israel on the international level, Netanyahu’s visit is part of a wider move by the right-wing Indian government to strengthen existing ties.
Commenting on India’s vote at the UN, Netanyahu told India Today: “Naturally we were disappointed, but this visit is a testimony that our relationship is moving on so many fronts forwards.
“I don’t think one vote affects a general trend you can see in many other votes and these visits,” he added.
At the emergency session of the General Assembly in December, 128 countries voted in favour of rejecting US President Donald Trump’s controversial decision on December 6. Nine countries voted against, while 35 abstained. Former Indian ambassador KC Singh said Netanyahu’s India trip is “basically a continuation of India’s calibrated relations with Israel since 1992”, when New Delhi established diplomatic relations with the Jewish state.
“The ruling BJP, of course, has an ideological affinity towards Israel. Prime Minister Modi doesn’t have the inhibitions of his predecessors while dealing with Israel and thus a theatrical edge has been added,” Singh told Al Jazeera.
The ruling BJP, of course, has an ideological affinity towards Israel. Prime Minister Modi doesn’t have the inhibitions of his predecessors while dealing with Israel and thus a theatrical edge has been added
Among the many bilateral cooperation issues to be discussed by the two sides – defence, technology, agriculture, cyber-security, water management and trade.
Diplomatic talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu are set to begin on Monday during the latter’s first official trip to India.
Modi accorded Netanyahu a warm welcome when he arrived on Sunday and vowed to “further cement the close friendship” between Israel and India.
The highly publicised visit comes after New Delhi voted against the United States decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel at the UN General Assembly last month.
But despite India’s record in abstaining or voting against Israel on the international level, Netanyahu’s visit is part of a wider move by the right-wing Indian government to strengthen existing ties.
Commenting on India’s vote at the UN, Netanyahu told India Today: “Naturally we were disappointed, but this visit is a testimony that our relationship is moving on so many fronts forwards.
“I don’t think one vote affects a general trend you can see in many other votes and these visits,” he added.
At the emergency session of the General Assembly in December, 128 countries voted in favour of rejecting US President Donald Trump’s controversial decision on December 6. Nine countries voted against, while 35 abstained. Former Indian ambassador KC Singh said Netanyahu’s India trip is “basically a continuation of India’s calibrated relations with Israel since 1992”, when New Delhi established diplomatic relations with the Jewish state.
“The ruling BJP, of course, has an ideological affinity towards Israel. Prime Minister Modi doesn’t have the inhibitions of his predecessors while dealing with Israel and thus a theatrical edge has been added,” Singh told Al Jazeera.
The ruling BJP, of course, has an ideological affinity towards Israel. Prime Minister Modi doesn’t have the inhibitions of his predecessors while dealing with Israel and thus a theatrical edge has been added
Among the many bilateral cooperation issues to be discussed by the two sides – defence, technology, agriculture, cyber-security, water management and trade.
