On eve of historic visit, PM Modi describes ties with Israel as 'special'

New Delhi/Jerusalem: On the eve of his historic visit to Israel, the first-ever by an Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on Monday described India’s ties with Israel as “special” and said that his visit would “lead to further cementing” of bilateral ties and cooperation in key areas, including counter-terrorism. In an interview to the pro-government daily Israel Hayom, Mr Modi was quoted by news agencies as saying that his visit was “based on the deep centuries-old connection between our two peoples.

He said, “I share the opinion of many of my people, who see Israel as a beacon of technology, as a country that has managed to survive even though the odds were against it.”

Mr Modi will embark on his three-day visit to Israel from Tuesday. He will be received by his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu at the airport, along with a “top protocol team” comprising Israelis from various fields, including rabbis. This is a special gesture that is usually only accorded to the Pope or the US President.

India has acquired weaponry worth billions of dollars from Israel in the past decade.

The two countries will sign agreements to deepen cooperation on state-of-the-art technologies in the space sector. India will also be opening a cultural centre in Israel, the announcement regar-ding which is to be made during Mr Modi’s visit.