Prime Minister Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming visit to India is going to be very exciting for both sides. India and Israel both are mature democracies and it is natural that there are certain positions where both countries disagree! But as this partnership will move further all these issues must be factored into the overall cooperation.

India is transforming at an unprecedented scale. PM Modi’s leadership is bringing the positive changes in the core system and the prospects of India looks brighter than ever before! The impact of current government’s reformist agenda is quite visible in the recent improvements in EODB and Moody’s ratings.

Some significant economic and institutional reforms undertaken by the Indian government are Demonetization, GST, implementation of JAM vision (Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhar and Mobile), delivery of governments schemes through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer), PRAGATI Framework (Pro-active Governance and Timely Implementation) under which Prime Minister Modi himself reviews the major project implementation and addresses the issues of officials through video conferencing, repealing of outdated laws and introduction of the transparent and simple procedures etc. Prime Minister Modi is developing a new working culture in the bureaucratic system which reflects in the success of Digital India, Make in India, Startup India, Standup India kind of initiatives.

Israeli capabilities and practices are crucial for India at this juncture. India considers Israel as one of the key partners in its path to development and growth. Israeli conceptual abilities, their mind-blowing experiences of building the economy from the scratch by converting the challenges into opportunities, and experiences of dealing with some of the world’s most adverse security scenarios, can help India a lot!

ISRAEL NEEDS INDIA TOO!

The astonishing status of present-day Israel is the result of its founding fathers’ sheer hard work, courageous spirit, determination, and dedication. They have built Israel on democratic principles. India is an admirer of Israel’s democratic culture, innovative abilities and their spirit of enterprise. Israel’s remarkable journey is an inspiration for a number of Indian youths; they see Israel as a hub of technology and innovation.

India, where all key ingredients of the business growth exist i.e. Democracy, Demography, and Demand, offers enormous opportunities for Israeli businesses too. The kind of respect and space that Israeli people receive in India is unmatched in the world. Under PM Modi, India-Israel’s partnership is booming. The New India is ready to embrace Israel with open arms and as Mr. Netanyahu has rightly said: “when it comes to India-Israel relations, the sky isn’t the limit because today even our space programs are working together to achieve even greater heights.”

In Israel’s journey to extend their capabilities around the world, India can prove to be a right partner! There are certain parts of the world where Israel and India are operating for the welfare of the native people, such as Africa, in those places both countries can combine their forces because our goals and interests are perfectly aligned.

Israeli teams are actively participating in India’s growth story. The Israeli embassy is one of the most active embassies in India. Israeli diplomatic and trade mission interacts with the not only center but with different state governments too.

After Defense, Agriculture is one of the key areas of India-Israel cooperation. The Indo-Israeli Agriculture Project is the collaborative effort of the Israeli Embassy, Indian center and state government bodies, the Indian Agriculture Ministry’s Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture and MASHAV. The first stage of the Indo-Israeli Agricultural Cooperation Project started in 2008. During the first phase (2008 -2011) and the second phase (2012-2015) of this project, a good number of centers of excellence have been set up in different parts of India, mainly in Haryana, Punjab, Utter Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Bihar, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. So far of the proposed 26 centers of excellence, 15 are operational. In the third phase (2015-2018), the Indo-Israel Agriculture Project will be aiming to open some more Centers of Excellence in other states.

Apart from this, Israeli Ambassador Mr. Daniel Carmon and his team are quite active on social media platforms too. Through their digital diplomacy practices and different cultural activities, they are effectively enhancing people to people exchanges. Among the two key segments of the Indian population: Farmers and Youngsters, Israeli exchanges are going well. And there is a positive environment about India-Israel partnership on both sides.

Many have worked hard for many years to see this day of India-Israel partnership arrive! For this partnership to grow, the meeting of minds, commitment, and right intentions were needed, and we have that today.