BICOM

The Indian Prime Minister met with President Rivlin and Prime Minister Netanyahu on the second day of his landmark visit to Israel.

Addressing Prime Minister Modi, President Rivlin said: “You are one of the greatest leaders of democracies in the world at this time. We have a lot in common we are doing a lot in common.”

Modi noted that Rivlin “in fact started a phrase when you came to India, and that is ‘Make with India’. We see in reality today ‘India with Israel’ and ‘India for Israel’. And when we say this, we also feel that Israel is a real friend”.

Seven bilateral agreements relating to cooperation in technology, water and agriculture were signed by Modi and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu also accepted an invitation to make an official visit to India. The leaders also signed a new memorandum of understanding to mark 25 years of diplomatic relations between India and Israel.  The memorandum noted the centuries-old history between the two countries, and that Jewish communities have always had a home in India where they have been treated with warmth and respect.

Commenting on the agreements, Netanyahu said: “We spoke about so many fields where we think we can make a big difference –  in water and agriculture and health, in the fields that affect the lives of our people, their well-being, their employment possibilities, the longevity of their lives and how they live it.”

Prime Minister Modi had a highly emotive meeting with 11-year-old Moshe Holtzberg who survived the Mumbai terrorist attacks. Both his parents were killed when the terrorists attacked the Mumbai Chabad House in November 2008 as well as a number of other buildings in the city. Holtzberg told Modi that he misses India. Modi responded that the country is always open to him, and Netanyahu invited Holtzberg to accompany him on his future trip to India.