Netanyahu’s first visit to India

NEW DELHI: Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in New Delhi yesterday for the first visit by an Israeli leader to India in 15 years, promising closer ties with the regional power.

Netanyahu and his wife Sara were welcomed at the international airport in New Delhi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who made history in July when he became the first Indian leader to visit Israel.

“This visit is an opportunity to enhance cooperation with a global economic, security, technology and tourism power,” Netanyahu said ahead of his visit.

“Indian Prime Minister Modi is a close friend of Israel and of mine.”

Modi – who will accompany Netanyahu for large parts of his five-day tour – embraced the Israeli premier on the tarmac before the pair set off to pay homage at a war memorial in the Indian capital.

“Your visit to India is historic and special. It will further cement the close friendship between our nations,” Modi tweeted.

Netanyahu is only the second Israeli PM to visit India and the first since Ariel Sharon in 2003.

He is accompanied by the largest-ever business delegation to travel with an Israeli leader. Executives in technology, agriculture and defence are among those making the journey as Tel Aviv pursues deals with Asia’s third-largest economy.

The build up to the visit was soured this month when India called off a deal to buy 8,000 anti-tank guided missiles from Israel’s state-owned defence contractor Rafael.

The Indian army and the government are discussing ways to revive the deal, which was scrapped when the country’s state-run defence contractor offered to build similar missiles locally. – AFP