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Updated May 26th, 2022 at 06:56 IST

Israel's Defense Minister set to visit India next week to bolster bilateral defence ties

Defense Minister of Israel, Benny Gantz is slated to visit India next week to ink a “special security declaration”, commemorating 30 years of diplomatic ties

Reported by: Anwesha Majumdar
Israel Defense Minister
Image: AP/ PTI | Image:self
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The Defense Minister of Israel, Benny Gantz is slated to visit India next week to ink a “special security declaration”, commemorating the two nations' three decades of diplomatic relations, citing his office, The Times of Israel reported. As per his office, Gantz will leave for India next Wednesday, June 1. The trip was originally scheduled for late March, but Gantz postponed it due to a slew of fatal terror acts in Israel and the West Bank since March 22, which have killed 19 people. 

However, Israel Defense Minister Gantz's office did not specify the details of the trip when it was announced on Wednesday but said that he will meet and sign the agreement with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh. Further, during a call with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh earlier in March, the Israeli Defence Minister informed him that his planned trip to India from March 30-31 had been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. 

Israel’s Prime Minister was expected to visit India from April 3 to 5

Earlier, Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was also expected to visit India from April 3 to 5 to mark the 30th anniversary of India-Israel diplomatic ties. Israeli Prime Minister’s trip was postponed as he tested positive for COVID-19 on March 28. 

Following the cancellation of Bennett's trip to India at the last moment in April, Israel's Ambassador to India, Naor Gilon had stated that the Prime Minister's next journey to India will be decided by the political and security situation in his own country. “It was canceled as he contracted COVID," Ambassador Gilson told ANI.  

Gilson added, "We are working on it. Really depends also on the political and security situation in Israel, both less stable these days but I hope the situation will be stable and a visit will come soon,” as per media reports. The ambassador, on the other hand, declined to comment on Israel Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's forthcoming visit to India, by saying, “I do not want to guess”. 

India-Israel ties

Israel's ambassador to India Gilon stated on April 25 that the future of the India-Israel cooperation and connections is exceptionally bright, as the two nations marked the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations, which began in 1992. As per media reports, the culture section of the Israeli Embassy in India cooperated with Delhi Street Art to create a wall art project to mark their diplomatic relations. 

Gilon went on to say that the two countries have been commemorating 30 years of full diplomatic relations, and that he believes those relationships have developed and strengthened in recent years, as well as been elevated to the level of strategic partnership, not just in name but also in action.

(Image: AP/ PTI)

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Published May 26th, 2022 at 06:56 IST

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