Published on 04/11/2025 06:33 PM
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Tuesday hailed his meeting with Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, where the two leaders discussed strengthening the strategic partnership and reaffirmed their commitment to zero tolerance towards all forms and manifestations of terrorism.
The Israeli Foreign Minister is in India for a three-day visit. During the meeting, both leaders exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on training between the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Israel’s Foreign Ministry.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said, “An excellent meeting with FM @gidonsaar of Israel today in New Delhi. Productive discussions on strengthening our Strategic Partnership across various domains. Reaffirmed our zero tolerance towards terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Appreciate FM Sa’ar sharing the Israeli perspective on developments in the region, the Gaza Peace Plan and efforts to build a durable and lasting solution.”
He added that the two ministers also discussed cooperation in multilateral fora and witnessed the signing of the MoU on training between the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS) and Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Reaffirming India’s strong ties with Israel, Jaishankar described the relationship as one built on “a high degree of trust and reliability” while expressing support for the Gaza Peace Plan.
Welcoming Sa’ar on his first official visit to India, Jaishankar said, “India and Israel have a strategic partnership and particularly in our case, that term has a real meaning. We have stood together in testing times. And we have created a relationship with a high degree of trust and reliability.”
Highlighting shared security concerns, Jaishankar said, “Our two nations face a particular challenge from terrorism. It is essential that we work towards ensuring a global approach of zero tolerance towards terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”
He also noted that Sa’ar’s visit provided an opportunity to review bilateral cooperation and explore new areas for deepening ties. Jaishankar underlined the growing scope of the partnership, citing the recently concluded Bilateral Investment Agreement as “a notable step” in advancing economic engagement.
“It is noteworthy that your ministerial colleagues dealing with agriculture, economy, tourism, and finance have all visited us recently,” he said, adding that Indian businesses are eager to explore opportunities in Israel, particularly in infrastructure, renewable energy, and health sectors.
On ongoing collaborations, the minister said, “We have a very strong record of working together in agriculture and in innovation. Taking that forward is very much in our mutual interest.” He further emphasised the importance of regular strategic dialogue: “Given our strategic cooperation, an exchange of perspectives on regional and global issues also holds great value. There are some plurilateral initiatives in which we both have a strong interest. I look forward to that aspect of our deliberations as well.”
The Israeli foreign minister arrived in India on Monday evening and is expected to hold further discussions with senior Indian officials during his visit.