NEW DELHI – President Ram Nath Kovind called for greater cooperationbetween India and Israel on Monday in countering terrorism and said astrong global response would defeat the menace in all its manifestations,PTI has reported.
Welcoming visiting Israeli PM Netanyahu, who called on Kovind Monday, thepresident said India-Israel security cooperation was defined by theircommon fight against terrorism.
“This challenge is eating into the vitals of our society. Our counterterrorism cooperation is progressing well but we need to do more. We needto work together to develop a strong global response to defeat terrorism inall its manifestations,” the president said.
Netanyahu’s visit was the culmination of celebrations to mark the 25thanniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India andIsrael, he said.
“Our warm and friendly ties are growing stronger. In a little over twoyears, the two countries have exchanged presidential and prime ministerialvisits,” Kovind was quoted in an official statement as saying.
The president saidlink>bilateralcooperation had expanded manifold.
“Political understanding, security cooperation and technology partnershipsare the key pillars of strategic engagement between India and Israel,” hesaid.
The president also emphasised that collaboration in newer areas such asspace, cybersecurity and innovation would add depth to the partnership.
He said there were ample opportunities before the two countries in thefields of investment, manufacturing, services, start-ups and technology.
Kovind appreciated the presence of Israeli companies in India, especiallyin the water, defence, technology and pharma sectors, and urged them tocollaborate in programmes such as Make in India, Clean India, Smart Citiesand Digital India.
Appreciating Israel’s cooperation in the field of agriculture, he said thecountry had taught India “to do more with less”.
“Israel’s support has served our farmers exceedingly well, especially inwater deficient areas. As we work to make our farming choices moresustainable, we will seek more Israeli support,” he said.