Watche out: PM Modi received warm and grand welcome on his Israel visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received warm and grand welcome on his Israel visit.

PM Modi’s visit to Israel, the first by an Indian prime minister since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1992, is expected to elevate the relationship built on the bedrock of defence and security cooperation to a higher level by boosting collaboration in high technology, agriculture, water management and trade.

India and Israel on Tuesday took historic steps towards a new engagement, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcoming his visiting Indian counterpart Narendra Modi by saying the future of the bilateral relationship lay in Israeli technology being wedded with Indian talent.

Netanyahu personally received Modi at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport, an honour previously accorded only to the Pope and the US President. He greeted Modi in Hindi, saying: “Aapka swagat hai, mere dost.” Modi responded in Hebrew, “Shalom, ani same’ah lihyot kan (Hello, I am happy to be here).”