India, Israel Ink Seven Agreements, Vow To Fight Terror Together
Israel, India launch 5-year technology fund aimed at growing the countries’ business relationship.
- Seven agreements signed to increase cooperation in key sectors like space, agriculture and water conservation.
- One of the MoUs was for setting up of $40 million India-Israel Industrial Research and Development (R&D) and Technical Innovation Fund.
- The two leaders reiterated their strong commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
India and Israel on Wednesday signed seven agreements to increase cooperation in key sectors like space, agriculture and water conservation after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held in-depth talks with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed for setting up of $40 million worth India-Israel Industrial Research and Development (R&D) and Technical Innovation Fund, with both countries contributing $20 million each.
"Together our scientists and researchers would develop, build and implement mutually beneficial solutions in the field,” Prime Minister Modi said. "Our decision to establish a bilateral Technology Innovation Fund worth $40 million for research in industrial development will help us in achieving this goal.” he added.
In the water sector, two agreements were signed to increase cooperation on water conservation and state water utility reform in India. Israel is among the leading nations in the field of innovation, water and agricultural technology and "these are also among my priority areas in India's development", Modi said.
In the agriculture sector, the two countries have agreed on a India-Israel Development Cooperation – a three-year work programme in agriculture from 2018 to 2020.
They also agreed for cooperation regarding cooperation in atomic clocks.
Besides, separate MoUs were signed on cooperation in GEO-LEO optical link and cooperation in Electric Propulsion for small satellites.
Tackling Terrorism
Voicing their common concern over the growing menace of terrorism and radicalism, leaders of both the nations agreed to cooperate and protect their strategic interests, and called for strong measures against terror groups and their sponsors.
India has suffered first-hand violence and hatred spread by terror groups, so as Israel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after holding wide-ranging talks with his Israeli counterpart.
Modi said during their talks, he and Netanyahu agreed to to do much more together to combat terrorism to protect their strategic interests.
Later, a joint statement said the two leaders recognised that terrorism poses a grave threat to global peace and stability and reiterated their strong commitment to combat it in all its forms and manifestations.
"They stressed that there can be no justification for acts of terror on any grounds whatsoever," it said.
The leaders asserted that strong measures should be taken against terrorists, terror organisations, their networks and all those who encourage, support and finance terrorism, or provide sanctuary to terrorists and terror groups, it said.
Both leaders also committed to cooperate for the early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International terrorism (CCIT), the statement added.
"Our goal is to build a relationship that reflects our shared priorities and draws on enduring bonds between our peoples," said Modi, who is the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel.