New Delhi: Reflecting rapid upswing in ties, India and Israel on Tuesday decided to “broad-base” their already close defence partnership and agreed to intensify cooperation in combating radicalism and extremism while calling for tough global action against terror networks and states harbouring them.
In wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, the two sides also resolved to deepen their overall engagement including in key areas of trade and investment, agriculture, water resources and education.
The two sides also inked two pacts to strengthen cooperation in agriculture and water resources management. Modi made a veiled attack on Pakistan, saying one of the countries in India's neighbourhood has been supporting terrorism, adding he and Rivlin agreed to intensify bilateral cooperation in combating terror.
“We recognise that terrorism is a global challenge, knows no boundaries and has extensive links with other forms of organized crime. Regrettably, one of the countries of its origin and spread is in India's neighbourhood,” Modi said.
Rivlin, the first Israeli President to visit India in nearly 20 years, said both India and Israel were threatened by terrorism as the two countries uphold values of freedom and that nothing can justify terror.
