Netanyahu's India visit postponed over security concerns after blast
Synopsis
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's planned December visit to India is postponed due to security concerns after a blast in Delhi. Despite the delay, bilateral relations are strengthening, with recent talks on a Free Trade Agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's scheduled visit to India in December has been postponed, according to a report by Israel's I24News. As per the report, PM Netanyahu's planned December visit to India postponed due to security concerns following the blast in Delhi two weeks ago.
After the deadly blast, the Israeli PM had emphasised the unbreakable spirit of both nations in the face of terrorism, declaring that while terror may target cities, it can never break the spirit of resilient nations "To our dear friend Narendra Modi and to the brave people of India: Sara and I, and the people of Israel, send our deepest condolences to the families of the victims. Israel stands strong with you in sorrow and in strength in this time," his statement read.
Context of High-Level Visits
The Israeli Prime Minister's last official visit to India was a six-day trip from January 14 to 19, 2018. This was the second visit by an Israeli Prime Minister to India, and it came about six months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit to Israel in 2017.
Focus on Economic and Strategic Cooperation
Recently, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday concluded a successful three-day visit to Israel, where he met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other key leaders.
Goyal conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's warm wishes to Netanyahu and updated him on his discussions with Minister Nir Barkat and the outcomes of the Business Forum and CEOs Forum. In a post on X, Goyal highlighted the signing of the Terms of Reference to launch Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, expected to boost trade, investment, and technology cooperation.
He discussed strengthening innovation ties by combining Israel's hi-tech strengths with India's scale and talent. Goyal sought Netanyahu's guidance on deepening economic and strategic engagement in sectors like agriculture, water, defence, science, technology, and innovation.
The meeting underscores the growing collaboration between India and Israel across economic, technological, and strategic domains, paving the way for expanded cooperation in the years ahead.
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