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Modi to become first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel

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It was announced yesterday that Narendra Modi will become the first Indian head of government to visit Israel, underscoring increasingly close ties between the two countries.

Diplomatic relations were first established between India and Israel in 1992, but have since then been characteristically low-key. However, Israeli-Indian bilateral relations have increased since Modi was elected to power last May. In September, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Modi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss closer cooperation and in February, Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon became the highest-ranking Israeli official to visit India since Ariel Sharon in 2003.

Although Modi has visited Israel before, during his time as Chief Minister of Gujarat province in 2006, no Indian Prime Minister has visited the country until now. Yesterday, Modi’s Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj held a press conference to summarise her ministry’s work during the last year. She announced that Modi “will travel to Israel. No dates have been finalised. It will take place as per mutually convenient dates.” The Hindustan Times speculated that Modi could travel to Israel in November. Swaraj said that she too would visit the region sometime this year.

A visit by Modi would be a significant statement of growing friendship and burgeoning relations between Israel and India. During Ya’alon’s visit to India in February, a new deal was announced for the two countries to jointly manufacture military hardware. Ya’alon commented at the time, “The sky is the limit” for bilateral relations. The two countries have also recently signed agreements regarding agriculture and cyber security.

Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed similar sentiments in November, when India’s Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Israel. Netanyahu commented at the time, “Israel and India are at the cusp of a new era of increased cooperation in a wide variety of fields.” Following Netanyahu’s general election victory in March, Modi tweeted congratulations to “my friend” on his re-election.