Israeli president in India

To ink defence, economic deals; vows full support
for fighting terrorism

LAHORE: Accompanied by a large delegation of businessmen and academicians, including presidents and senior representatives of institutions, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin arrived in Mumbai on Monday morning on a visit to India.

During his visit, the Israeli head of state will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, besides joining his counterpart Pranab Mukherjee in opening an agro-tech conference in Chandigarh.

Rivlin arrived on Monday on an eight-day visit to India, the first by any Israeli president in nearly two decades. In a wide-ranging interview to the PTI, the Israeli president acknowledged differences with India on the Palestinian issue but spoke warmly about the growing Indo-Israeli ties as the two countries prepare to celebrate 25 years of establishment of full diplomatic ties between them next year. Pledging full support to India in fighting terrorism, Rivlin said that his country was proud to “stand with India in its defence of the values of democracy.”

The New Indian Express stated: “Friendship between India and Israel is at work day in, day out and is not a relationship we should be hiding”, said Israeli President Reuven Rivlin as he pledged full support to India in fighting terrorism.

The Hindu stated: “He will pay his respects at the sites of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in Mumbai and lay wreaths at memorials for Mahatma Gandhi and for Indian soldiers, who fell in the World War I. Six Jews were killed at the Mumbai Chabad house during the Mumbai terror attacks on November 26, 2008. Mr. Rivlin will hold meetings with senior Indian officials and with leaders of the Jewish community.”

Before he boarded the flight to Mumbai, President Rivlin was quoted by the prestigious Indian newspaper as saying: “I am departing now on an important visit to India, an important ally and close friend of Israel, a state with whom we have much in common. Israel and India are both countries of innovation and of inspiration. Countries that have ancient traditions, but have built strong and thriving hi-tech economies, and now celebrate 25 years of diplomatic relations. This visit is a sign of the strong relations and friendship between our peoples, and I hope will plant the seeds for that friendship to grow closer and closer.”

The academic delegation accompanying Mr. Rivlin includes presidents and senior representatives of institutions. They are expected to sign separate agreements with Indian institutions.Research shows that while India is the largest buyer of Israeli military equipment, Israel is the second-largest defence supplier to India after Russia. From 1999 to 2009, the military business between the two nations was worth around $9 billion. Military and strategic ties between the two nations extend to intelligence sharing on terrorist groups and joint military training

As of 2014, India is the third-largest Asian trade partner of Israel, and the 10th largest trade partner overall. In 2014, the bilateral trade, excluding military sales, stood at US$4.52 billion. As of 2015, the two nations are negotiating an extensive bilateral free trade agreement, focusing on areas such as information technology, biotechnology, and agriculture.

Around 40,000 Israelis, many of whom have just finished military service, visit India annually.India recently launched a military satellite for Israel through its Indian Space Research Organisation.

In 1997, Israel’s President Ezer weizman became the first head of the Jewish state to visit India. He met with Indian President Shankar Dayal Sharma and Premier Deve Gowda to negotiate the first weapons deal between the two nations.

The pact had involved the purchase of surface-to-air Barak 1 and Harpoon missiles from Israel. The Harpoon missile is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile system.The purchase of the Barak-1 missiles from Israel by India was a tactical necessity since Pakistan had purchased the Lockheed P-3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft and 27 Harpoon missiles from the United States.

In 1996, India had bought 32 Unarmed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and an Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation simulator system from Israel.Since then, Israel had received numerous Indian orders to upgrade its Russian-made MiG-21 planes.

By the way, Israel was one of the selected few nations, a group that also included France and Russia, that did not condemn India’s 1998 nuclear tests.

In 2000, Israeli submarines had reportedly conducted tests of cruise missiles that are capable of carrying nuclear warheads in the waters of the Indian Ocean, off the Sri Lankan coast.

In 2003, India had purchased three Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft at the cost of $1 billion from Israel.

In 2005, India purchased 50 Israeli drones for $220 million and in 2007, Israel had inked a $2.5 billion accord with India to develop an anti-aircraft system and missiles for the country. It was the biggest defence contract in the history of Israel at the time.

In November 2008, Indian military officials had visited Israel to discuss joint weapon development projects, additional sales of Israeli equipment to the Indian military and anti-terrorism strategies.

Following the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Israel had offered a team of about 40 special-operations forces and assistance in consequent investigations.

In March 2011, it was reported that India would buy 8,356 Israeli anti-tank missiles, 321 launchers, 15 training simulators and peripheral equipment for $1 billion from Israel.

In September 2015, the Indian government had given the approval to purchase 10 drones from the Israel Aerospace Industries.

In September 2016, the Indian government had approved the purchase of two more AWACS planes from Tel Aviv.

In October 2015, The Pioneer reported that India and Israel were planning to hold their first joint military exercise. The date and location were not announced.

A known Indian newspaper The Pioneer had held: “The armies of India and Israel are likely to hold the first-ever joint exercises since their diplomatic relations were established in 1992. Even though Israel is one of the biggest weapon suppliers to India, the two countries have not carried out any joint military exercise due to political sensitivities here regarding ties with Israel.”

In August 2016, Israeli newspaper “The Haaretz” had revealed that its country’s air force F-16 pilots were scheduled to visit India in September 2016 for a working visit to one of the squadrons of the Indian Air Force.

The Haaretz had added: “The air force described it as a “first of its kind exercise,” but would not say whether the pilots would be flying in India. The visit is part of an air crew exchange between the two militaries. Indian Air Force crews visited a combat squadron at the Ramon Air Force Base three months ago and met with other air force units, including the air force’s search and rescue unit (Unit 669) and the IAF Flight Academy at Hatzerim.”

The key Israeli newspaper had maintained: “The Indian pilots got briefings from their Israeli counterparts and explanations about the F-16, which is known in Israel as the Sufa (storm) and is considered the IAF’s most advanced fighter jet. Something similar is expected to take place in India, which operates Russian Sukhoi-30 jets that were adapted for the local military.”

In November 2015, a few leading Indian media houses had reported that agents from Mossad and MI5 were protecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Turkey.

Modi was on a state visit to the United Kingdom and was scheduled to attend the 2015 G-20 Summit in Antalya, Turkey.

The media outlets had asserted that the agents had been called in to provide additional cover to Modi’s security detail, composed of India’s Special Protection Group and secret agents from RAW and IB in the wake of the November 2015 Paris attacks.

(References: Top Israeli newspaper “Haaretz,” British news agency Reuters, the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, The Daily Telegraph, The Jerusalem Post, Rediff.com. the Times of Israel and the Times of India etc)

The Israeli headquarters of the State Bank of India are located in Tel Aviv. The two-way business relations between India and Israel grew from $200 million in 1992 to $4.52 billion in 2014. The “Newsweek” magazine puts this figure at $5 billion.

As of 2014, India is Israel’s 10th largest trade partner and import source, and seventh-largest export source.

India’s major exports to Israel include precious stones and metals, organic chemicals, electronic equipment, plastics, vehicles, machines, engines, pumps, clothing and textiles, and medical and technical equipment. Israel’s imports from India amounted to $2.3 billion or 3.2 per cent of its overall imports in 2014.

Israel’s major exports to India include precious stones and metals, electronic equipment, fertilizers, machines, engines, pumps, medical and technical equipment, organic and inorganic chemicals, salt, sulphur, stone, cement, and plastics. Israeli exports to India amounted to $2.2 billion or 3.2 per cent of its overall exports in 2014.

Soon after arriving in India on Monday, the Israeli president had spoken about the long-pending free trade agreement, negotiations for which were launched nearly five years ago between India and Israel.

He was quoted by the New Indian Express as saying: “It is a tool that can have huge impact and boost the partnership. We need to supply them with the tools that will ease their way and will provide them incentives. An FTA is a tool that can have a huge impact and boost the partnership.”

(References: The Los Angeles Times, Asia Times Online and the Times of India)

In 2015, 600 travel agents from India had arrived in Israel for the annual Travel Agents Federation of India conference, and had deliberated upon ways to decrease barriers to tourism.

(Reference: The Jerusalem Post)