Personal touch at business meet
NEWDELHI: At the meeting in New Delhi where ties between India and Israel were deepened through business pacts and defence deals, the personal rapport built by the two countries’ prime ministers had a separate life of its own.
The buzzword was bonhomie, as the two nations put aside India’s vote against the Israel at the United Nations on the issue of recognising Jerusalem as its capital and identified areas of possible cooperation and partnership that Benjamin Netanyahu dubbed has the potential to “shape the world”.
“I came here to say thank you for believing in Israel, the way we believe in India,” he said, while listing out areas of possible cooperation — bid data, artificial intelligence and connectivity — where the countries could forge ties. He also had a word of praise for India’s improved ranking in the business friendly index, having moved 42 places during the tenure of Modi-government.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reciprocated by praising the spirit of innovation, enterprise and perseverance that drives Israel. “(It) is universally known as the startup nation with a unique eco-system for innovation and incubation. The credit for this goes to the Israeli entrepreneurs,” Modi said.
“..In fact, hailing from a water deficient state in India, I have particularly admired Israel’s water efficiency,” he said.
Pitching India as destination for investment and opportunity for Israeli companies, Modi drew the visiting dignitary’s attention to the country’s improved ranking in the index of ease of doing business, the flow of foreign direct investment and sectors such as skilling the youth where Israel can contribute.
“India has size and scale. Israel has sharpness and edge,”he said.
He also assured of more economic reforms to further improve the ease of doing business in India: “Our motto is reform, perform and transform… the results are two-fold. On the one hand, our procedures, proc- esses and systems are getting aligned with the best in the world. Secondly, we are able to maintain the pace of faster growth.”
He went on to add that the government, which has recently announced taxation reforms in the form of GST and pushed for digital payments, is pushing to better the record even as India has emerged as the 6th largest manufacturing nation. “…But we are not done yet. We want to do more and better,” he said.
Both leaders who interacted with CEOS of both countries, launched the maiden call for joint research and development projects under the ‘India-israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund (I4F)’, which was announced in July last year. NEWDELHI: A live band’s rendition of timeless Bollywood song Ichak Dana Bichak Dana from Raj Kapoor’s 1955 film Shree 420 proved the cherry on the cake during the lunch hosted for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.
The song set the tone for the Israeli premier and wife Sara’s celluloid engagement in India after heavy-duty diplomatic commitments.
Netanyahu said he and Sara are excited and happy “we are going to Bollywood … and see it first-hand”.
They will be in Mumbai on January 18 to attend an exclusive Shalom Bollywood event.
As the band played Ichak Dana Bichak Dana, many dignitaries gushed they know the lyrics to the song.
The two countries also signed a pact for co-production of films.