Tel Aviv, Feb 26 (IANS) In yet another special gesture, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu bid farewell to PM Narendra Modi at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv as the visiting leader concluded his two-day State Visit to the country on Thursday.
PM Modi and Netanyahu shared a warm hug and were engaged in a conversation before the former boarded the plane.
Netanyahu and the First Lady had also welcomed PM Modi on the tarmac on Wednesday as the Indian Prime Minister landed in the country on his second landmark visit.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi and Netanyahu held talks and agreed to elevate ties to Special Strategic Partnership. The two leaders also discussed giving greater momentum to cooperation between India and Israel.
“Today’s discussions with PM Netanyahu were very fruitful. We’ve taken a historic decision to elevate our time-tested partnership to a Special Strategic Partnership. This decision reflects the aspirations of the people of both countries,” PM Modi posted on X.
“We discussed giving new direction and greater momentum to our cooperation. This includes economic and trade linkages. We have decided to establish a Critical and Emerging Technologies Partnership. This will accelerate cooperation in many futuristic areas,” he added.
PM Modi termed agriculture as a key area where the two nations are working closely.
In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, “Agriculture is a key area where India and Israel are working closely. In today’s talks, it was decided to increase the number of Centres of Excellence to 100. This will greatly benefit farmers.”
PM Modi also met the star cast of the Jewish spy thriller series Fauda. While sharing the selfie with the star cast of the series on X, PM Modi wrote, “Thankfully, this interaction required only a selfie, no undercover work! Fauda.”
PM Modi began the second day’s engagements by calling on Israel President Isaac Herzog as both leaders discussed ways to further enhance cooperation in education, start-ups, innovation, tech and connectivity.
PM Modi and Herzog also planted a tree in the Presidential Gardens under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative.
“Ties of warmth and goodwill! PM Narendra Modi called-on the President Isaac Herzog of Israel, today. PM thanked President Herzog for his steadfast support in strengthening the special India-Israel Partnership. Both leaders explored avenues to further enhance cooperation in education, start-ups, innovation, tech and connectivity,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated on X.
“PM Narendra Modi planted a tree in the Presidential Gardens under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative. PM also extended an invitation to President Herzog to visit India in the near future,” he added.
Prior to meeting Israeli President, PM Modi visited the Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Centre in Jerusalem, laying a wreath at the memorial in memory of the Holocaust victims.
Prime Minister Modi was accompanied by Israeli PM Netanyahu and Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan as he visited the Holocaust Memorial and Museum which perpetuates and documents the Holocaust.
The visit included a tour of the Book of Names – a monumental installation containing the names of 4.8 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust – and a memorial ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance. Prime Minister Modi also signed the Yad Vashem guest book.
PM Modi on Wednesday addressed a Special Plenary of the Knesset in Jerusalem – the first such address by an Indian Prime Minister at the Israeli parliament.
–IANS
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