A growing friendship

PTI1_17_2018_000214B Narendra Modi and Benjamin Netanyahu | PIB

$7.98 billion (around Rs66,000 crore)

India’s exports to Israel in 2022-2023 (automotive diesel, diamonds, textiles, base metals, transport equipments, agricultural products and chemical and mineral products)

$2.13 billion (around Rs18,000 crore)

Israel’s exports to India, excluding defence (fertilisers, petroleum oils, machinery and transport equipment, pearls and precious stones)

KEY INDIA-ISRAEL PARTNERSHIPS

2017

▸ Seven MoUs signed in innovation, technology, water, agriculture, space and science

▸ The India-Israel industrial R&D and technological innovation fund (I4F) received $40 million in 2017 (around 0260 crore then); renewed for 2023-2027

2018

▸ Nine agreements signed―cyber security, oil and gas, solar energy, space science, air transport, medicines and film production

2021

▸ Discovering lesser-known shared history, with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar unveiling “Bhoodan Grove” plaque in the Jerusalem Forest­ ―a reminder of the Gandhian concept of ashram or village as a self-sustaining unit and Israeli cooperatives kibbutzim and moshavim

▸ Agreement on mutually recognising Covid-19 vaccine certificates

2023

▸ MoU between Indian Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Israel’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development for further collaboration in high tech areas such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors and synthetic biology

▸ India-Israel mobility pact to help Indians to work in Israel in fields of construction, nursing and as caregivers

▸ Climate technology projects on the cards

GROWING INDIAN FOOTPRINT IN ISRAEL

Indian businesses are collaborating more with the Israeli companies. Notable deals include:

▸ Indian Oil Corporation with Phinergy to manufacture aluminium-air battery systems

▸ SMV Jaipuria Group JV with Watergen for water-from-air technology products

▸ TCS launching Israel’s first fully digital bank, besides other tie-ups

▸ Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and RITES bidding for Tel Aviv metro project

▸ Adani’s acquisition of Haifa Port from the government through JV with Gadot Group