India, Israel Upgrade Ties During Modi’s Historic Visit
PM Netanyahu accepts Premier Modi’s invitation to visit India
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel yesterday for a 3-day tour of the Jewish State, the first ever by an Indian Premier. Following his red carpet welcome at the Ben Gurion Airport, Modi engaged in some serious bilateral diplomacy with the Israeli government. Both countries signed a series of agreements in the fields of agriculture, water, and space exploration.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accompanied Modi to the Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem, located on the slopes of the Mount of Remembrance near Jerusale, where the Indian leader laid a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance in memory of over six million Jews killed in the Holocaust. Both leaders made an impromptu stop at the grave of Theodor Herzl, the founding father of modern Zionism.
The visit has attracted enormous media and public interest in both the countries, with #ModiInIsrael became the leading hashtag on Twitter in both Israel and India.
“India-Israel ties are at an all time high,” Prime Minister Modi tweeted as he began his day in Jerusalem. The highlights of the day included his meeting with the president of Israel, Reuven Rivlin, and a public reception in Tel Aviv hosted by the Jewish-Indian community.
The President of Israel welcomed me so warmly, he broke protocol. This is a mark of respect for the people of India: PM @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/r6eFdlrYwz
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) July 5, 2017
“Narendra Modi receives extraordinary welcome as he begins path-breaking visit to Israel,” noted Indian financial daily Economic Times. “The personal chemistry and the warmth between Modi and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was apparent in their remarks and their hugs.” The newspaper noted the significance of the visit that goes beyond the impressive personal rapport that both world leaders have managed to forge:
Behind the overt affection and friendship, lies deep political significance as India for the first time has delinked its relationship with Israel from its traditional support to Palestine. But, India now hopes to leverage its relationship with Israel to attract more investment, and gain from Israeli cutting-edge technology and defence.
“Investments to boost tourism, education and cultural ties and building bridges with the Indian diaspora in Israel can help boost ties between the two countries,” wrote the leading Indian business daily Mint. “Indeed, these are the low-hanging fruits in the bilateral relationship that can be plucked right away.”
#India #Israel representatives Signing important #MOUs in the fields of #Water,#Space,#Innovation,@MASHAVisrael working plan in #Agriculture pic.twitter.com/JQRfdgezws
— Daniel Carmon???????? (@danielocarmon) July 5, 2017
“Red carpet welcome done, PM Narendra Modi gets down to business in Israel today,” reported the Indian news channel NDTV. “Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who usually meets visiting heads of government for a meeting and over dinner or lunch meeting, will accompany PM Modi to most engagements.”
On a historic visit that started with firm handshakes, hugs and a smattering of Hindi and Hebrew, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will get down to business today with back-to-back meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders that will focus on cooperation on defence, security, water and more. Apart from the multiple pacts that the two strategic partners are expected to seal at Wednesday’s meetings, the two leaders are also expected to deliver a strong message against terrorism in their joint statement. Both leaders had yesterday spoken in one voice to resolutely combat terrorism and radicalism.
India-Israel partnership in the field of start-up alone has a revenue potential of $25 billion, projected NASSCOM, the association of Indian IT companies. Indian daily Financial Express published the excerpts of a report compiled by NASSCOM and consultancy firm Accenture:
Revenue worth USD 25 billion can be generated in India and Israel through cumulative cross- border investment into start-ups in these two countries, a joint report by Nasscom and Accenture today said. The report titled ‘Collaborative Innovation: The vehicle driving Indo-Israel prosperity’ noted India and Israel’s innovation ecosystems share unique innovation complementary traits in three areas — temperament, talent and technology.
Yesterday, Prime Netanyahu announced the creation of an innovation fund to promote research cooperation in the areas of agriculture, water, energy and technology. Israel and India have jointly allocated $40 million of seed money for the project.
Israel’s strides in agriculture are well known. Latest technology, research & innovation in agriculture can benefit farmers immensely.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 4, 2017
The leading Centre-Right Indian magazine, SwarajyaMag, praised PM Modi’s diplomatic initiative but urged the government to “disassociate itself completely from the Palestinian question” and seek great strategic cooperation with Israel.
Later today, around 40,000 Israelis and Jews of Indian origin are expected to welcome PM Modi in Tel Aviv as part of a public reception in Tel Aviv hosted by the Jewish-Indian community living in Israel. Israel is home to some 80,000-100,000 Jews of Indian origin, many of whom maintain cultural and personal links with India. Additionally, some 12,000 Indian nationals live and work in the country. Indian Prime Minister hopes to boost bilateral diplomacy by building on these existing diaspora ties. India plans to build a cultural centre in Israel to foster cultural and diaspora links.
According to Indian media reports, PM Modi formally invited Israeli Premier to visit India. “Israel PM Netanyahu accepts PM Modi’s invitation to visit India with his family,” confirmed Indian TV network Times Now.
Video: PM Netanyahu welcomes PM Modi upon his arrival in Israel
[Cover image via YouTube]
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Comments
So is India going to start voting with Israel, rather than abstaining and treating that as if it were some enormous favor for which Israel should be grateful?
Indian foreign policy has been very strange and self defeating ever since they achieved independence; perhaps that is finally about to change. (not surprisingly, this coincides with the rise of the BJP and the fall of the INC in Indian politics)
Part of this truly was the fault of the United States, in a round about way; post Independence, India sought arms deals with the US as well as other relations, but the Arabist group in the State Dep’t felt that Pakistan would be a better ally, and thus took on Pakistan as a virtual client state, denying arms to India. Angered, India welcomed the attentions and arms of the Soviet Union, and thus fell into the Soviet sphere of influence for the next 40 years.
The last 30 years, the insane US love affair with Pakistan has continually ruined relations between India and the US. I’m not sure how Israel fit into all of this, but they have always looked like a natural ally of India – perhaps the anti-americanism of the INC poisoned this well, too.
Perhaps it is finally the time that all of these mistakes will around, and the alliance that always should have happened between 3 great democracies finally will happen.
I raised a very similar question in an earlier thread on LI. Arminius gave a very informative response. Both our posts are here.
https://legalinsurrection.com/2017/06/amid-growing-strategic-ties-indias-prime-minister-modi-to-meet-president-trump/#comment-761792
Bear in mind two things:
1. When India became independent socialism was fashionable everywhere. The UK had gone socialist, even the US was trending in that direction, every respected economist supported it, and the Congress Party was populated with socialists. 50 years of almost uninterrupted Congress Party rule and socialism is why India is such a backward country today, when by rights it ought to be a powerhouse like Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea. As Julian Simon kept telling anyone who would listen, people are a nation’s most precious resource, not a drain on its resources; but the Congress knew better and did what it could to reduce the population.
2. China was India’s big enemy. Therefore it was courted by and gravitated to China’s big enemy, the USSR. Therefore the USSR’s big enemy, the USA, courted India’s enemy Pakistan (which was supported by China).
I agree 100% with point #1. But you have point #2 entirely wrong. India, back when it postured as the leader of the “non-aligned movement,” deeply resented the fact that the USN routinely operated in the I.O. despite their protestations.
We were the 900lb gorilla wherever we chose to sail. The USSR couldn’t muster that kind of force. Neither could the PLAN. But we could, and a single CVBG (Carrier [fixed wing] Battle Group, now termed a CSG or Carrier Strike Group) just completely emasculated them. They hated it; it was much more visceral than you make it out to be.
Back then, not everything resulted from some sort of cool, dispassionate calculation on a virtual geopolitical chessboard (It still doesn’t). India fancied itself the regional power in the I.O. and said, “Stay out.” We said, “No, you’re not. Stand aside.” And they did because they had no real choice.
That left a mark for a long time.
It now appears they’re on our side. I am glad. Because I’d rather have them with us than against us. They always made me nervous.
It is good to see a couple of my favorite allies getting along so well. To me, it seems like a very natural fit.
Perhaps Pakistan’s drift into Islamist tyranny has made room for a better ally for the US, as well.
Our supposed alliance with Pakistan has a great deal to do with us simply acting reflexively to events during the Cold War.
I didn’t go to America’s “best schools.” I didn’t marry a high powered attorney. H3ll, I’m not a high powered attorney, which means I can’t get a job as a lobbyist.
Still, I bet I could produce better results for my country. If that still matters.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/11/world/americas/venezuela-maduro-profile/index.html
“Maduro: From bus driver to Venezuelan leader”
It blows my mind that people think Wellesley College, ivy school law grads are remotely equipped to deal with these kind of people.
“…deep political significance as India for the first time has delinked its relationship with Israel from its traditional support to Palestine. But, India now hopes to leverage its relationship with Israel to attract more investment, and gain from Israeli cutting-edge technology and defence.”
India has 1 billion people, nuclear weapons, turned its back on Arab terrorists, and will soon be a permanent member on the UN security council.
Well played, Bibi. Well played.