India-Israel Celebrates Thirty Years of Diplomatic relations, PM Bennett Likely to visit India
New Delhi: Israel’s Ambassador to India Naor Gilon on Monday said that Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and other senior officials are likely to visit India this year as the two countries celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had extended an invitation to Bennett from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Israel last year.
Gilon said, “I am feeling very lucky to be Israel’s Ambassador in India when relations are exceptional and beyond regular, one of a partnership between ancient civilizations.”
The New Delhi government has developed strategic, Defence, and political relations with Tel Aviv in the last few decades. Israel always remained a very important partner to India in many circumstances.
Gilon further added “This is an important occasion to reflect on our mutual successes as well as a good opportunity to look ahead and shape the next 30 years of our relations. I am sure that our close existing cooperation in different fields will only continue to grow and flourish in the coming years,”
The Israeli envoy in his speech highlighted ties – going back thousands of years with no trace of Anti-Semitism in India, unlike in Europe and other parts of the world.
Recalling the visit of Jaishankar, Gilon mentioned India’s role in shaping the region with Indian soldiers participating in the World Wars and buried in different parts of Israel.
Israel’s first Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion saw India and Israel’s national movement as “sister liberation movements”, he said, pointing out the deep respect the Israeli leader had for Mahatma Gandhi whose picture he had on the wall of his bedroom.
Harsh Vardhan Shringla – The Indian Foreign Secretary said “Our two peoples are connected by civilizational bonds that go beyond trade and economic ties. The Jewish people have thrived in India for centuries and enriched the composite culture of India.”
(_Vinayak Barot)
