EAM Jaishankar holds bilateral talks with his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid

India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Monday met Israeli alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid. Both the leaders discussed a wide range of regional and global issues.

New Delhi: India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Monday met Israeli alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid. Both the leaders discussed a wide range of regional and global issues.

"Very productive talks today with APM and FM @YairLapid. Discussed a wide range of regional and global issues", EAM Jaishankar tweeted. India agreed to resume FTA negotiations next month with Israel. Both the sides agreed in principle on mutual recognition of Covid vaccination certification.

Further, Jaishankar welcomed Israel as the newest member of the International Solar Alliance. "Welcomed Israel as the newest member of @isolaralliance", said Jaishankar in a tweet.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in Tel Aviv on Sunday on a five-day visit to hold talks with Israel’s top leadership to mutually prepare a roadmap for further enriching the strategic ties besides exploring new areas of bilateral collaboration. This is EAM Jaishankar’s first visit to the country as the External Affairs Minister.

Jaishankar also visited places of historical significance to India and unveiled a plaque commemorating the Bhoodan Grove planted by Sarvodaya workers in 1960. He also paid homage to the victims of the Holocaust at Yad Vashem. This memorial is a testimony to the human spirit of resilience and strengthens our resolve to fight evil, he said in a tweet.

On Sunday, he also met the Indian Jewish community in Israel and hailed their manifold contribution to India-Israel ties. He expressed confidence that they will bring both sides even closer together in the coming years.

India-Israel ties

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India and Israel elevated bilateral relations to a strategic partnership during the historic visit of Prime Minister Modi to Israel in July 2017. Since then, the relationship between the two countries has focused on expanding knowledge-based partnership, which includes collaboration in innovation and research, including boosting the ‘Make in India’ initiative, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement ahead of Jaishankar's visit to Israel.

The new Quad in making

Later today (Monday), EAM Jaishankar is slated to participate in a virtual Quad meet of foreign ministers of the US, Israel and UAE at 10:15 pm IST. The meeting will be a closed-door session. Jaishankar and Israel's Yair Lipid will join from Tel Aviv, while, the other two from their state capitals.

The new Quad meeting is aimed at enhancing coordination and economic partnership across the West Asian region.

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