PM Modi and Netanyahu reaffirm their shared vision for robust India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting in Jerusalem on Thursday, discussing bilateral cooperation in areas of technology and innovation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and critical minerals, defence and security, trade and economy, labour mobility and education, blue economy, agriculture and health.

The two leaders also announced elevating ties to ‘India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation and Prosperity’.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and other officials were also present during the meeting.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both countries also decided to elevate JCM on Science and Technology elevated to Ministerial level; launch an initiative to collaborate in Critical and Emerging Technologies led by National Security Advisors; have financial dialogue, launch tech-gateway initiative and 20 Joint Fellowships in Agricultural Research.

It was also decided to increase contribution of both sides for the Joint Research Calls; enhance quota of up to 50,000 Indian workers over the next five years, hold an India-Israel Academic Cooperation Forum and form an India-Israel Parliamentary Friendship Group.

“Towards a strengthened and more comprehensive partnership! PM Narendra Modi held extensive bilateral talks with PM Benjamin Netanyahu. Both leaders discussed the entire range of bilateral relationship. Discussions included areas of technology and innovation, AI and critical minerals, defence and security, trade and economy, labour mobility and education, blue economy, agriculture and health. They also discussed issues of regional and global interest,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal wrote on X.

“In a significant development, both leaders announced elevating the relationship to India-Israel Special Strategic Partnership for Peace, Innovation and Prosperity. Several outcomes were also finalised including in the areas of technology, science, trade, finance, AI, agriculture, blue economy, labour mobility, education and culture,” he added.

The two sides exchanged several MoUs, including on co-operation in the field of geophysical exploration; for development of National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) in Lothalat Gujarat; Cultural Exchange Programme for the period 2026-2029; between NPCI International (NIPL) and MASAV Israel on implementation of UPI; between ICAR and MASHAV on establishment of the India-Israel Innovation Centre for Agriculture (IINCA), etc.

India and Israel also signed a Declaration of Intent on cooperation in the field of Horizon Scanning; MoU on Cooperation in the field of Fisheries and Aquaculture; MoU between International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) and Israel Securities Authority (ISA); Implementation Protocol on Labour Mobility in Commerce and Services Sector; Implementation Protocol on Labour Mobility in Manufacturing Sector; Implementation Protocol on Labour Mobility in Restaurant Sector; MoU on the Cooperation in advancing Education through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI); Agreement on Cooperation between Israeli Institute of Commercial Arbitration (IICA) and Indian Council of Arbitration (ICA); MoU between Nalanda University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI); Letter of Intent on establishment of Indo-Israel Cyber Centre of Excellence in India; and, MoU on cooperation in Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Earlier in the day, PM Modi visited the Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Centre in Jerusalem and laid a wreath at the memorial in memory of the Holocaust victims.

Prime Minister Modi was accompanied by Israeli PM Netanyahu and Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan as he visited the Holocaust Memorial and Museum which perpetuates and documents the Holocaust.

The visit included a tour of the Book of Names – a monumental installation containing the names of 4.8 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust – and a memorial ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance. Prime Minister Modi also signed the Yad Vashem guest book.

This was PM Modi’s second visit to Yad Vashem, having also visited the memorial in July 2017 during his last visit to the country. Netanyahu had also accompanied PM Modi the last time he had toured the memorial in 2017.

PM Modi is currently on a two-day State Visit to Israel. He was accorded a grand welcome by Netanyahu and his wife, Sara Netanyahu, in Tel Aviv on Wednesday. Later, he addressed a Special Plenary of the Knesset in Jerusalem – the first such address by an Indian Prime Minister at the Israeli parliament.

IANS