5.6. Recent Momentum: The Visits of Prime Minsters

♤ P.M. visited Israel in July 2017, marking 25 years of exchange of emabssies.

♤ A Memorandum of Understanding was signed for establishing the India-Israel Industrial R&D and Innovation Fund (I4F) by the Department of Science and Technology, India and

the National Authority for Technological Innovation, Israel with a contribution of US$ 20 million from each side.

♤ Both the countries also agreed for India-Israel Development Cooperation, a three-year work programme in the agriculture sector. They also launched a five-year technology fund.

♤ MoUs were signed in 2017 on Plan of Cooperation Between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Israel Space Agency (ISA) regarding cooperation in Atomic, Clocks, GEO-LEO Optical Link and Electric Propulsion for Small Satellites.

♤ India-Israel CEO Forum, was established in July 2017 during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Israel

♤ However, certain developments such as on the vote at the UN on Jerusalem issue in December 2017 and the news of India cancelling a $ 500 million deal to buy 1,600 Spike anti-tank guided missiles from Israel, indicated the issues of friction in the bilateral relations.

♤ The two Prime Ministers discussed the developments pertaining to the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process. They underlined the need for the establishment of a just and durable peace in the region. They reaffirmed their support for an early negotiated solution between the sides based on mutual recognition and security arrangements.

♤ However, these issues did not cause much concern as seen during the January 2018 visit of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to India.

♤ During this visit, The two prime ministers noted with satisfaction the commencement and implementation of India-Israel development cooperation - three-year work programme in Agriculture (2018-2020)