Israel-India Ties Stronger Than Ever, Focus on Technology, Youth: Israeli Ambassador

On his maiden visit to Hyderabad, Naor Gilon, the Ambassador of Israel to India, said that while the relationship between the two countries is civilisational and ancient, the ties are stronger than ever before. They will define the future, with great scope of strengthening people contact, business linkages, greater cultural exchange, and building on the already strategic friendship in areas like defence.

Technology and youth will redefine the future of India-Israel relationships, Ambassador Gilon said in an exclusive interview with Deccan Chronicle on Friday, after a hectic two days in the city, which included a visit to the Indian School of Business and T-Hub, several meetings with policy makers, entrepreneurs and officials.

Excerpts:

How do you characterise the relationships between India and Israel?

Our two countries are connected across our civilisation history as friends. The first batch of Jews came to India, in Kerala, over two thousand years ago. Though the Jewish community in India has been small, they have found acceptance and a social embrace, which is unique to us globally. We were treated as another member of the family. Jews were never, ever, prosecuted or oppressed in India. In more recent times, nearly a century ago, Indian forces, after the break-up of the Ottoman Empire, as part of the British Army, fought in and freed the areas that now form the geographic area of Israel. We share history – two ancient people, ruled by the British in your case and created as a country by them; or like in our case, formed as a mandate.

Besides such connections, there are huge similarities, and differences, between the two nations. We are a small country, with a population of 10 million, which might be equal to that of Hyderabad. We are both warm weather nations, and culturally share several similarities, from food to strong family bonds, and are warm people.

Our first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, was a big admirer of Mahatma Gandhi. Of course, our own creation as a modern nation, a few months after India became independent, did not have a non-violent path like yours. But Ben-Gurion had a portrait of Gandhi in his house and office.

And finally, India did not immediately recognise Israel but when you did accept it, Israel felt it had found entire global acceptance – because after the United States of America and Soviet Union, we also had India.

In a more contemporary context, how deep and strong is this relationship?

We had a consulate in the-then Bombay for a long time but India took a while to reciprocate, and opened it in 1992. Of course, we have been strategic partners, especially in defence, for a long time. The two Prime Ministerial visits, of PM Narendra Modi to Israel (in July 2017) and of our PM Benjamin Netanyahu to India (in January 2018), which have created this very strong new foundation for our relationships.

We have been contributing to India in crucial areas, like water management. Since a large part of Israel is either a desert, or arid, we realised the value of water before any other nation. We treat, manage and recycle over 90 per cent of water into agriculture, more than any other country.

We have established 30 centres of excellence across India in integrated planning in agriculture. We are helping study areas, figure out the soil, markets, climate, water and best suitable crops. We have helped in drip irrigation and other allied agri activities. We are helping India achieve Modi’s objective to multiply the farmers’ income. For example, it is only in horticulture that we have been able to cut costs for farmers and help them increase their income in several states, sometimes as high as four times.

How has the trip to Hyderabad been?

I am two years now in India and feel I have taken too much time to come here. The energy, the dynamic enterprising spirit and the youthful zeal, especially in technology and start-ups, is amazing. We went to T-Hub where I could get to know a lot more about the Israel-India JVs in tech and start-ups.

Israel has a huge lead in technology and this collaboration is the key to our combined future. We have started work on collaborations between these tech and start-up incubators and also between universities and other bodies. Youth exchange programmes, connecting opportunities and problems to entrepreneurs and markets will make a huge difference.

(Left to right) Dr Narayanan, director IIIT, Hyderabad, Srini Raju, chairman Ilabs, Ken Sagar, president Israel Chambers, H.E Naor Gilon, Ambassador of Israel, Anjani Kumar DGP, Navin Mittal, CCLA, RPO Balaiah, Dr Radhakishore, HC Robotics and Sunil Kumar, president Ilabs, in Hyderabad on Friday. (Image: DC)

You are, for a diplomatic, rather intrepid. For example, your reaction to a movie titled Bawaal. Some time back, a hero like Chiranjeevi could make movies titled Hitler or Stalin and yet there would be no controversy. Of course, you are the son of a holocaust survivor, so I understand...

A pop-movie that says every marriage has its Auschwitz moment is doing a yeoman disservice. This kind of drawing parallels without proper understanding of history, to reduce for a dialogue the magnitude of its tragedy, is most unfair, and unacceptable. Over 95 per cent of my entire family, spread across Germany, Poland and other countries, was killed.

Think for a moment – a third of the global population of 18 million Jews was killed, massacred, starved, gassed, burnt, shot and murdered, systemically, within three odd years, in camps set up for the purpose. Is this something anyone can trivialise?

My father is still alive, a survivor. I can imagine his hurt when he sees something like this. I understand the pain of people who can’t accept it. I spoke like a human, a second-generation of the Holocaust, not a diplomat.

Nothing in human history matches this experience. It has no parallels.

I know your pain. But I would like to move to something light to end this discussion. How has Indian food been like to you?

I love food (sighs). I also always loved spicy food.

For someone who has served in Europe for so long?

Yes, Hungary has very spicy food. I can also cook. Though I came to India for the first time only two years ago, I have had Indian food. Reena Pushkarna is a Jewish Indian star-chef, who returned to Israel and set up Indian restaurants that are amazing. I loved the food they arranged for me here in Hyderabad.