India more than good friend, a trusted strategic partner: Israeli minister

Tel Aviv: At a function marking India's 77th Republic Day, Israel's Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar said his country attaches utmost importance to its ties with New Delhi, describing India as a strategic partner.

Zohar on Monday told the gathering that India’s Republic Day celebrations had also become a special day for Israelis, as Israel announced recovering the remains of the last hostage in Gaza from the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack.

"Today is also a special day for us. Our last hostage, Ran Gvili, came back home. This is something that all of the country is so happy about and it comes with your special day. I think it means a lot about the great relationship between the countries. Your happiness is also our happiness," the Israeli minister said.

In a dastardly terror attack, Hamas killed about 1,200 Israelis and took 251 living and dead people as hostages on October 7, 2023.

"India is a nation with a story of freedom, resilience, and spirit that inspires so many Israelis. For us, Israelis, India is far more than a good friend. India is a strategic partner that we can trust," Zohar told the gathering of about three hundred people.

"India and Israel share today a lot in common, also common interests, and similar visions for the future. Over the years, the relationship between our two nations has grown broader, deeper and more dynamic," he said. 

Referring to "the constant flow" of high-level visits between Jerusalem and New Delhi, the Israeli minister said that it is not merely a diplomatic routine, but a "reflection of the close ties between us and the importance we attach to our ties at the highest levels".

Israeli Minister of Tourism Haim Katz, Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Avi Dichter, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich visited India last year as the strategic partners build up momentum to sign a Free Trade Agreement.

The two countries signed a Bilateral  Investment Treaty (BIT) during Smotrich’s visit and then a Terms of Reference (TOR) leading to FTA during the visit of Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal to Israel.

Goyal's visit was followed by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh's visit to Israel in quick succession.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hinted at a visit at the prime ministerial level "very soon", demonstrating the growing engagement between the two countries.

Speaking after the screening of a video showing some of the major developments between the two sides on the bilateral front, Zohar also pointed out the close chemistry between Netanyahu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a contributing factor in the strengthening of ties.

"We saw the pictures of Prime Minister Netanyahu and Modi, and we can see the friendship (between them), and I know that of course this relation helped a lot the relation between our nations," he said.

The personal equation between the two leaders has been a subject of widespread discussion in Israel, and a picture of the two of them walking on the beach barefoot during Modi's historic visit to Israel in 2017 had gone viral, evoking comments of "bromance".

"These exchanges have made cooperation stronger across a wide range of fields from innovation, defence, agriculture and water management to science, health and emerging technologies," Zohar said.  He also appreciated the expansion of direct Air India flights between Tel Aviv and New Delhi, describing it as a factor that adds "depth and vitality" in bilateral relations.

"The expansion of direct flights between Israel and India has brought our people closer than ever before. It is wonderful for tourism, business relations, academic exchanges and cultural dialogues. It gives our partnership its true depth and vitality," he said.  "A key milestone in our relationship has been the adoption of the joint action plan for 2026, which stands as a testimony of the solid foundation and vision that we share together.

"It shows not only what we have achieved together but our shared commitment to working side by side to meet future challenges and (create) new opportunities. It is a road map guided by trust, ambition and a belief in the power of collaboration as we look ahead," he said, touching upon ongoing discussions between the two sides.

"Israel sees India as a great partner in shaping our future together for the benefit of our peoples and the wider international community," he added.

Zohar also thanked India for its steadfast support following Hamas' October 7 attack.

"Before I finish my speech, I will say a few words from the bottom of my heart. India supported Israel during the time of the massacre of October 7, and Israel will appreciate that forever because on that day we saw other opinions of different countries, but India stood with Israel," he said.

"It was important to us so much because Israel, as a country, pursued peace. We didn't want war but we showed the world that we can fight and we can win. We didn't start this war and we didn't want this war. We had to defend ourselves and this is what we will do," he said.

"We can see that the Middle East is changing right now because we say 'no' to terror and I am sure that all of the free world will join this important opinion," he added.  Modi was among the first world leaders to condemn the Hamas attack.

"On this special day, I wish the people of India peace, prosperity and success. May the friendship between Israel and India continue to grow from strength to strength in the years to come," Zohar said.

People from the Indian community and Jews of Indian origin attended a programme on Monday morning in Herzliya, where India's Ambassador to Israel J P Singh unfurled the national flag and read excerpts from President Draupadi Murmu's speech.

In the evening, Singh touched upon various developments on the bilateral front and also applauded the important contribution made by the Indian Jewish community in Israel in strengthening bilateral ties, serving as a bridge between the two countries.

The evening event showcased the ‘One District - One Product’ exhibition, and also featured cultural performances by Indian and Israeli artists, reflecting the richness of India’s heritage.