New Delhi: External Affairs Minister of India S. Jaishankar will begin his visit to Israel over the weekend since the new government led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett came to power earlier this year.
A statement by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said on Saturday that the October 17-21 visit is taking place “at the invitation of the alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Israel, Yair Lapid”.
“He (Jaishankar) will have a bilateral meeting with the alternate Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister of Israel. Apart from this, he will also meet the President, Prime Minister and Knesset Speaker.
Bennett and his eight-party coalition government took office in June, ending Benjamin Netanyahu’s term as prime minister that lasted 12 consecutive years.
India and Israel elevated bilateral ties to a strategic partnership during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel in July 2017.
“Since then, relations between the two countries have focused on expanding knowledge-based partnerships, including collaboration in innovation and research, including promoting the ‘Make in India’ initiative,” the statement from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said. “
Jaishankar will “interact with the Indian-origin Jewish community in Israel, Indologists, Indian students currently pursuing their education in Israeli universities, and business people including hi-tech industries,” it said.
“The visit will also be an occasion to pay tribute to the brave Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in the region, especially during the First World War,” it said.
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