Categories: India

Amid high hopes, Jaishankar heads to Israel to reopen dialogue with the new government in Tel Aviv

<p>
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is set to fly to Israel via the United Arab Emirates to forge a joint  approach to stem the tide of radicalism radiating from the region.</p>
<p>
This will be the first high-level engagement between the Modi government and the new Naftali Bennett dispensation in Israel. Jaishankar will be meeting the Prime Minister Bennet and  his counterpart Yair Lapid. Lapid is any ordinary foreign minister. He is Israel’s  alternate prime minister in Israel’s new coalition government. Bennett will therefore cede premiership in 2023 to Yair Lapid.</p>
<p>
In August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Bennett for assuming office as Israel's Prime Minister in June. Both leaders then agreed to draw a  roadmap for further enriching the India-Israel strategic partnership.</p>
<p>
“Israel and UAE are one of India’s closest allies like Japan and Singapore apart from big partners like US and Russia. With the new government now firmly ensconced in Israel, it is time that both close partners exchanged notes on global issues like Afghanistan, Middle East, Indo-Pacific and terrorism,” the  Hindustan Times reported quoting a former foreign secretary.</p>
<p>
In tune with the important visit, the Israeli foreign ministry spotlighted shared cultural bonds of the two “strategic” partners.</p>
<p>
“Shubho Bijoya/Happy Dussehra to all of you, on the eve of <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar">@DrSJaishankar’s </a> important visit to Israel. India is a strategic partner and a very close friend.” Ambassador Alon Ushpiz, the director general at Israel's foreign ministry, said on Twitter. Jaishankar will visiting Tel Aviv via Dubai.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">
Shubho Bijoya/Happy Dussehra to all of you, on the eve of <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrSJaishankar</a>’s important visit to Israel. India is a strategic partner and a very close friend <a href="https://t.co/9BQuEUons3">pic.twitter.com/9BQuEUons3</a></p>
— Alon Ushpiz (@AlonUshpiz) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlonUshpiz/status/1448940082279354373?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 15, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>
Ties between India and Israel have grown steadily since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1992. Relations were further  boosted when Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to delink India-Israel ties from India-Palestinian ties. Modi paid a visit to Israel in July 2017, the first by an Indian prime minister to the Jewish nation. Earlier this year, New Delhi expressed strong support for the Israelis as  they battled Hamas’s insurgents in the Gaza Strip.</p>
<p>
India is the largest buyer of Israel's military hardware and the latter has been supplying various weapon systems, missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles over the last few years.</p>
<p>
Jaishankar will be reaching Dubai on October17 for a day to meet the leadership over the regional environment, including the situation in Afghanistan and central Asia. He will be touching down in Israel on October 19 for a three-day visit.</p>
<p>
<strong>Also read:</strong>  <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/latest-news/israeli-fm-calls-for-peace-with-palestinians-more-arab-nations-120850.html">Israeli FM calls for peace with Palestinians, more Arab nations</a></p>

IN Bureau

Recent Posts

“Iran launched over 450 ballistic missiles and hundreds of UAVs in last 6 days,” Israel Defence Spox says

Israel Defence Forces Spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin on Thursday said that Iran has expressed…

33 minutes ago

French company Safran ties up with HAL to produce LEAP engines’ forged parts

India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and French engine manufacturer, Safran Aircraft Engines, signed an agreement…

3 hours ago

India records highest growth in power generation after US & China in last five years: IEA

India has emerged as a country with the third-largest growth in power generation capacity globally…

3 hours ago

PM Modi lauds Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh for defeating world number one in World Team Blitz Championships

Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Indian chess grandmaster Divya Deshmukh for defeating world number one…

3 hours ago

Pakistan: Mahrang Baloch’s sister accuses prison authorities of harassing them during jail visit

The family of detained Baloch leader Mahrang Baloch has accused prison authorities at Quetta's Hudda…

4 hours ago

“Great news for education sector”: PM Modi hails India’s 2026 QS World University Rankings

The QS World University 2026 Rankings bring great news for our education sector, as the…

5 hours ago