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India-Israel bilateral relations

 

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Political Relations

On 17 September 1950, India announced recognition of Israel. Soon after, the Jewish Agency established an immigration office in Bombay. This was converted into a Trade Office and later a Consulate. Following the decision to establish diplomatic relations, Israel opened its Embassy in Delhi in February 1992 and India opened its Embassy in Tel Aviv on 15 May 1992. Since then relations have seen rapid growth across a broad spectrum.

 

Bilateral

2012 marks the 20th anniversary of establishment of full diplomatic relations between India and Israel. The relationship has thrived on the common bedrock of parliamentary democracy; Common Law structures; liberal system of education; knowledge of English language; a history of British colonial rule; similar strengths in the knowledge industry and a highly qualified scientific and technical manpower. A long and peaceful Jewish presence in India and presence of 70,000 Indian Jews in Israel made things easier. India is a destination of choice for over 35,000 Israelis who visit India every year for tourism and business.

 

Bilateral Visits

Since the establishment of Embassies, a large number of ministerial visits have taken place. The period since 1992 has been utilized to put in place the framework of normal state-to-state relations, including agreements and MOUs in diverse areas of cooperation. Click here for a list of bilateral agreements and high level visits.

 

Bilateral institutional mechanisms include Foreign Office Consultations; Strategic dialogue between NSAs; JWG on Counter-Terrorism and Non Proliferation Dialogue; JWG on Defence Cooperation; JWG on Trade and Economic cooperation; Joint Committee on Agriculture Economic and commercial relations.

 

Visit of External Affairs Minister Shri S.M. Krishna 

External Affairs Minister Shri S.M. Krishna visited Israel on January 9-10, 2012 against the backdrop of 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations. EAM met President Peres, Prime Minister Netanyahu, and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance. He reviewed bilateral cooperation, recent developments in South Asia and the Middle-East and charted out areas of cooperation for future including in energy, trade, agriculture and human resource development. EAM and his counterpart signed an Extradition Treaty and an Agreement for Transfer of Sentenced Persons. EAM announced approval of Government of India for opening a Consulate General of Israel in Bengaluru. He also announced a special grant of US$ 25,000 for setting up a Baba Farid Heritage Centre at the Indian Hospice in Jerusalem.  

 

Visit of Minister of Urban Development   Shri Kamal Nath 

Shri Kamal Nath, Minister of Urban Development visited Israel from February 12-14, and met the Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour, Minister for Energy and Water Resources and Minister of Transportation and Road Safety respectively. Both countries signed a Joint Declaration for long-term collaboration in technologies related to water, waste-water and sewage management. 

 

Visit of Minister of Communication, Information Technology and Human Resource Development, Shri Kapil Sibal

Shri Kapil Sibal, Minister of Communication, Information Technology an Human Resource Development visited Israel from 3-8 April 2012 on the invitation of the Israeli Government. The Minister called on President Peres, met the Minister of Communications, Mr. Moshe Kahlon, Dr. Yuval Steinitz, Minister of Finance and Mr. Gideon Sa'ar, Minister of Education. Both sides agreed to set up a Joint Working Group for collaboration in telecom and information technology, and consider cooperation in the Akash Tablet project. The two governments announced a programme to enable joint research in renewable and sustainable energies, bio-medical sciences, cyber-security, humanities and social sciences etc.  Both governments will contribute to the programme US$ 5 million over a three year period. 

 

Visit of Minister of Tourism Shri Subodh Kant Sahai

Shri  Subodh Kant Sahai, Minister of Tourism, visited Israel from June 23-26, 2012 accompanied by the Ministers of Tourism from Assam and Uttarakhand. He met his Israeli counterpart Minister Misezhnikov and discussed ways of enhancing tourism. He met the Minister of Transportation to review civil aviation linkages and connectivity between the two countries. The first meeting of the JWG on Tourism also took place. The Ministry of Tourism organized an “Incredible India” evening for promoting tourism to India. Minister Sahai inaugurated the statue of Rabindranath Tagore at Hebrew University in Jerusalem to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Tagore.   

 

Commercial and Economic Relations

Since establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992, bilateral trade and economic relations have progressed rapidly. From US$ 200 million in 1992 (comprising primarily of diamonds), merchandise trade diversified and reached US$ 5.15 billion in 2011. In 2011 India was the 8th largest trade partner of Israel, and 3rd largest in Asia. India is Israel’s 11th largest import source including diamonds, and 16th largest import source excluding diamonds.  Balance of trade in 2011 was in Israel’s favor by US$ 844 million. While India's exports to Israel in areas other than diamonds are increasing, diamonds constituted 56.4% of bilateral trade in 2011.  India is a 'focus' country for Israeli Government’s increased trade efforts (along with China and Brazil).  Click here for more details relating to Trade and commerce.

 

Major exports from India to Israel include precious stones and metals, chemical products, textile and textile articles, plants and vegetable products, mineral products, rubber and plastic products, base metals and machinery. 

 

Major exports from Israel to India include precious stones and metals, chemical and mineral products, base metals, machinery, and transport equipment.

 

Free Trade Agreement 

A Free Trade Agreement is currently under negotiations between the two countries.  

 

Investment

FDI inflows from Israel to India from April 2000 to April 2011 were US$ 53.24 million, at 39th rank and 0.04% of total FDI inflows (Source: Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, India). While the traditional business thrust remains on diamonds, agriculture, chemicals, information & communication technology and pharmaceuticals remains, in recent times, Israeli companies have invested in India in nergy, renewable energy, telecom, real estate, and water technologies. Israeli companies are also setting up Research and Development (R&D) centres or production units in India. Indian companies are marking their presence in Israel through mergers and acquisitions and opening offices. TCS started operations in Israel in 2005. State Bank of India opened a branch in Tel Aviv in 2007. In the first major acquisition in 2007, Jain Irrigation of India purchased 50% stake in Naan-Dan, an Israeli irrigation equipment manufacturing company. In May 2012 Jain Irrigation acquired 100% stake in Naandan. India’s Sun Pharma has 65.2% stake in Israel’s Taro Pharmaceutical Industries (Nov 2010).   

 

Agriculture

Under the 1993 bilateral agreement for cooperation in agriculture, and a subsequent Action Plan for 2008-2010, projects have been undertaken with Israeli expertise in Haryana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat. A Center of Excellence for vegetables is functional at Karnal, Haryana. A Joint Declaration was signed in May 2011 by Agriculture Ministers of the two countries. A bilateral Action Plan for 2012- 2015 has been finalized for projects in Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Punjab.  India has benefited from Israeli expertise and technologies in horticulture mechanization, protected cultivation, orchard and canopy management, nursery management, micro-irrigation and post-harvest management particularly in Haryana and Maharashtra. 

 

India’s companies and official delegations regularly visit the biannual event WATEC in Israel which showcases Israel’s water and energy technologies and Israel’s triennial event “Agritech” which showcases Israel’s achievements in agriculture. 

 

Cooperation in Science & Technology  

There is joint research by S&T institutions of both countries under an S&T Cooperation Agreement signed in 1993. Under an MOU on Industrial Research and Development Initiative (IIRD) signed on May 30, 2005 (Department of Science & Technology, India and Ministry of Industry, Trade & Labor, Israel) a joint industrial R&D fund “ i4RD” has been set up to promote bilateral industrial R&D and specific projects through funding by the industry.

  

Training Programs

The Israeli MFA’s Centre for International Cooperation (MASHAV) has conducted activities in diverse fields with India. These include courses in various fields in Israel as well as in India, including health, agriculture, education and management. The Horticultural Demonstration Farm at IARI Research Institute in PUSA, New Delhi was a result of technical cooperation between the two countries.

 

Culture, Education & Tourism

India is known in Israel as an ancient nation with strong cultural traditions. In popular Israeli perception, India is an attractive, alternative tourist destination. Israeli youth are particularly attracted to India. About 35,000 Israelis, mostly youth, visit India annually after finishing military service. The level of understanding of and knowledge about India is growing, in some measure due to India's economic advancement and image as an important centre for hi-tech. There is an abiding interest in Indian culture, which is promoted with a variety of dance, music, traditional arts, crafts and cinema.

Courses related to India are taught at the Tel Aviv University, Hebrew University and Haifa University. India has an MoU with Tel Aviv University to set up a Rotating Chair for Indian studies in the Department of East and South East Asian Studies. Hindi is taught  at Tel Aviv University and Hebrew University.  Seven ICCR scholarships and some Know India Scholarships of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs are granted to Israelis every year. A new Cultural Exchange Programme is being negotiated.

The first Festival of India in Israel ‘Celebrating India in Israel’, produced by the Indian Embassy and Teamwork Productions, India which brought together contemporary and classical Indian culture in all its aspects was held in May 2011. The festival was a huge success. 

The second edition of the Festival of India was held in April-May 2012 in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa to celebrate the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations. The festival was inaugurated by the Israeli Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Dr. Uzi Landau. The festival which showcased India’s theatre, music, cuisine, yoga, film, contemporary art and literature received media attention and was a beautiful addition to Israel’s cultural calendar.  

 

Indian Community- NRI/ PIO  

There are approximately 70,000 Jews of   Indian origin in Israel, most of whom are Israeli nationals. The main waves of immigration into Israel from India took place in the fifties and sixties. The majority is from Maharashtra (Bene Israelis) and smaller numbers are from Kerala (Cochini Jews) and Kolkata (Baghdadi Jews). The older generation maintains an Indian lifestyle and their cultural links with India remain intact, while the younger generation is increasingly assimilated into Israeli society, engaged in agriculture or work in new development towns outside traditional urban centers.  The community is playing an important role in the development of Israel.  They are considered hard-working, skilful, reliable and responsible contributing not only to agriculture but also as an effective workforce in many of Israel’s industries.  Many members of the community are active in social and political fields.  Some are successful restaurateurs, mainly serving Indian food. A few Indians have made a mark in medicine and agricultural science. Jews from Cochin have contributed immensely to desert farming in Israel by adopting modern technology.  Mr. Eliyahu Bezalel hailing from Cochin distinguished himself as an eminent agriculturalist and became the first Israeli of Indian origin to receive the “Bhartiya Pravasi Samman” for 2005. There is a Central Organization of Indian Jews, which brings together a large section of Indian Jews.

 

The resident Indian community of about 700 Indian citizens includes diamond traders, some IT professionals, students and unskilled workers. There are also about 6,000 unskilled workers mainly employed as care-givers.

 

LIST OF BILATERAL AGREEMENTS

 

Bilateral agreements

Agreement Date

Establishment of Full Bilateral Diplomatic Relations

29.01.1992

Agreement for the Promotion and Protection of Investments

29.01.1996

Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and for the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital

29.01.1996

Bilateral Agreement regarding Mutual Assistance and Cooperation in Customs matters

29.01.1996

Agreement on Cooperation in Peace Uses of Outer Space

28.10.2002

Agreement on Cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine

09.09.2003

Agreement on Cooperation in combating illicit trafficking and abuse of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances

09.09.2003

Agreement on Cooperation in the field of Protection of the Environment

09.09.2003

Agreement on Exemption of Visa requirement for holders of diplomatic, official and service passports

09.09.2003

Memorandum of Understanding on India-Israeli Research and Development Fund Initiative

30.05.2005

Inter Governmental Work Plan on Agriculture Cooperation

10.05.2006

Agreement for Transfer of Sentenced Persons

09.01.2012

Extradition Treaty

09.01.2012

 

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LIST OF BILATERAL VISITS

 

From Israel

Visiting Delegate

Date of visit

FM Shimon Peres

May 1993

President Ezer Weizmann

Jan 1997

FM Shimon Peres

Jan 2002

PM Ariel Sharon

Sep 2003

DPM and FM Silvan Shalom

Feb 2004

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Industry and Labour Eliyahu Yishai

December 2006

Minister of Transport and Road Safety Shaul Mofaz

March 2007

Minister of Interior Meir Sheetrit

November 2007

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Shalom Simon

January 2008

Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour Binyamin Ben Eliezer

January 2010

Minister of Agriculture Orit Noked

May 2011

Minister of Tourism Stas Misezhnikov

September 2011

Minister of Internal Security Yitzhak Aharonovitch

Oct.-Nov. 2011

Minister of Finance Yuval Steinitz

December 2011

Minister of Energy & Water Resources, Uzi Landau

February 2012

 

From India

Visiting Delegate

Date of visit

Home Minister LK Advani

June 2000

EAM Jaswant Singh

July 2000

MOS (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Shri Kapil Sibal

May 2005

MOS for Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation Kumari Selja

September 2005

Agriculture Minister Shri Sharad Pawar

November 2005

May 2006

Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath

November 2005

MOS for Industry Ashwani Kumar

August 2007

MOS for Railways R. Velu

December 2007

Former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam

February 2008

Chief Justice of Supreme Court Shri K. G. Balakrishnan

December 2008

Chief Minister of Punjab Shri Parkash Singh Badal and Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Shri Prem Kumar Dhumal

November 2009

Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia

February 2010

Minister of State Science & Technology Shri Prithviraj Chavan

March 2010

Several Members of Parliament

July 2010

Comptroller and Auditor General Shri Vinod Rai

May 2011

Chief Minister of Haryana, Mr. Bhupinder Singh Hooda

April 2011

Minister of State for Communications and IT Mr. Sachin Pilot

June 2011

RBI Governor D. Subbarao

June 2011

Group of Indian MPs

November 2011

External Affairs Minister Shri S.M. Krishna

January 2012

Minister of Urban Development Shri Kamal Nath

February 2012

Minister of Communications, Information Technology and Human Resource Development, Mr. Kapil Sibal

April 2012

Minister of Tourism, Mr. Subodh Kant Sahai

June 2012

 

Please click here for a detailed brief  on the Bilateral relations

 

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