Two-way trade has touched $3.3 billion. India and Israel have begun looking at a Free Trade Area agreement. Israeli investment in India is growing steadily and there is a spurt in Israeli investment in real estate and agriculture sectors of the Indian economy and growing Indian investments in Israel.
For example, about nine lakh saplings of olive have been delivered to India.
We are intensifying cooperation in drip irrigation too.
Recently Israel executed its biggest agriculture development initiative anywhere in the world, in India, which entails potentially tens of millions of dollars worth of cooperative projects in waste-water management, horticulture, etc. With food prices rising, India and Israel can do a lot together.
The relationship is booming in high technology too.
The defence relationship is burgeoning. In short, the rapid growth of bilateral ties in a short span of 16 years is mind-boggling.
There is enormous goodwill for Israel in India. Similarly, there is a lot of awe for Indian culture and society within Israel. The people-to-people ties are underpinning all aspects of the bilateral relationship. It is difficult to find another relationship which has grown from so little to so much in 16 years. The Israeli embassy in India is the largest in Asia and one of the largest in the world, so you can imagine the importance we attach to our ties with India.
There is a feeling of great activity in the air and it remains to be seen where we go from here, with the adrenaline running on both sides. We are happy with our bilateral relationship with India. It augurs well for the future.
India, which recently celebrated its 60th anniversary, and Israel, are two great civilisations with shared values.
The sky is the limit for the India-Israel bilateral relationship and we hope to bring this relationship to fruition in all fields, with a smile on our faces. There is enthusiasm in our relationship.
This is an exciting time for Israel. Israel at 60 is the envy of many peoples and nations. Israel is economically growing at over five per cent for the past few years.
Israel’s population is 7.3 million and the per capita income in Israel is over $22,000, much above the average West European standards.
Israel is a democracy and its society is based on human values. Israel enjoys the freedoms of the press and judiciary, among others, and there is an open and dynamic public debate.
Despite the trials and tribulations of the conflict in West Asia, Israel has become a country that is the envy of many. Israelis are proud of their economic growth, technological pro wess and culture.
The West Asian conflict is one of the major problems confronting the world. Israelis forever remain hopeful of a resolution of the conflict. Their hope is based on reality, not wishful thinking. We hope in the near future we can reach a final settlement with the people of Palestine.
The Prime Minister of Israel, Ehud Olmert, and Palestine’s President, Mahmoud Abbas, recently met again for negotiations and we are hopeful that indeed things will move forward for the peoples of Israel and Palestine.
There are extremists within the Palestinian camp, like Islamic Jihad and Hamas, which are sworn enemies of Israel. They undermine any hope of the people of Israel.
We in Israel believe there can be no military solution of the conflict. The Iranian leadership is ruining the chances of resolving the conflict by aiding and abetting Islamic Jihad and Hamas.
The Iranian leadership is openly talking of wiping Israel off the map, it is denying the Holocaust, and it is not raising any hope of peace. It is a very sad commentary on the great civilisation of Iran, which has given so much to mankind, but we will overcome the hardliners.
The people of Israel and Palestine hope to live side by side, in a Jewish state and a Palestinian state, in harmony and peace. As we enter the 60th year, we believe peace is viable and doable.
There is a goodwill in Israel for the people of Palestine. I hope they follow the pragmatic and forward looking leadership of Mr Mahmoud Abbas and shy away from the hatred and violence of the extremists.