NEW DELHI: Three Indian Naval ships have reached Israel where they will engage with the Israeli Navy in a series of activities ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit in July.
Trishul, Mumbai and Aditya ships of Indian Navy reached Israeli port of Haifa on Thursday after concluding an anti-piracy operation in the Gulf of Aden, NDTV reported.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel would be the first such tour by an Indian leader to the Jewish state.
The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1992 but India has shied away from such high-level visits in the past, Press Trust of India (PTI) had reported earlier this year.
“However, BJP-led governments seem to have accorded a greater priority to this relationship with President Pranab Mukherjee visiting Israel in October 2015 in what was the first such visit by an Indian Head of State to Israel. Israeli President Reuven Rivlin made a reciprocal visit last year at Mukhejee’s invitation.
It was the second visit by an Israeli Head of State to New Delhi, coming after a gap of almost 20 years.
The only visit of an Israeli Prime Minister to India happened in 2003, when Ariel Sharon visited New Delhi. Yet, bilateral ties have been on an upward trajectory, irrespective of the governments in power in New Delhi” the PTI report said.