Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar on Thursday responded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s speech at the Israeli Knesset, noting the immense enthusiasm among both members and the audience. He said the people were thrilled and highly enthusiastic to listen to PM Modi`s address, as he spoke from his heart about issues that deeply matter to both nations.
Speaking to IANS, Reuven Azar said, “There was amazing excitement among the members of the Knesset, and also the audience present there. Moreover, the general public was equally enthusiastic, and the event was covered by all major media outlets.”
“I think people understand that this visit is very important. They were thrilled and very excited to hear PM Modi’s speech because he truly spoke from his heart about the things we care about — particularly the seriousness of fighting terrorism without compromise and without giving any opening or excuse for terrorism,” he added.
Azar further highlighted the shared heritage between the two countries.
“He spoke about the common heritage we share, a relationship that goes back thousands of years, and the history of Jews in India. He also spoke about the cooperation achieved so far and outlined where he wants to take the relationship in the future. It was clear that people want to see this vision implemented, and now we are going to work hard to implement the shared vision of PM Modi and PM Netanyahu.”
“We are determined to carry out follow-up work. Today, we already had meetings between President Isaac Herzog and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, where we discussed several bilateral cooperation issues as well as some regional matters. There will be further follow-up in the coming weeks. The Defence Minister is expected to visit India, and negotiations on the FTA will hopefully continue,” he said.
Commenting on defence cooperation, Azar stated, “We are focused on expanding the scope of our relationship into more sensitive and advanced technologies. The agreements already signed provide us with the mechanisms to do exactly that. Now that we have finalised these agreements, we are entering the implementation stage.”
Speaking about the impact of the visit on regional security in Asia and the Middle East, he said, “When both countries develop the capabilities to defend themselves independently and create solutions in terms of both defence and offence, it will make us more secure and more resilient.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a dinner engagement wearing traditional Indian clothing, creating a warm and symbolic moment during the visit.
Netanyahu was seen dressed in a light grey Nehru jacket as he greeted PM Modi with a smile. In a video shared by the Israeli Prime Minister on X, PM Modi was heard remarking, “It`s an Indian dress,” acknowledging the gesture.
The two leaders shared a cordial exchange and posed together for photographs ahead of the dinner.
Sharing the moment on social media in Hindi, Netanyahu wrote, “Before our joint dinner, I surprised my friend Prime Minister Modi by wearing traditional Indian attire.”
Prime Minister Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu are scheduled to visit Yad Vashem together on Thursday before holding an expanded bilateral meeting at the King David Hotel.
The discussions are expected to focus on a comprehensive review of the India-Israel Strategic Partnership, with emphasis on strengthening collaboration in defence, science and technology, trade, and people-to-people exchanges. The two leaders will also exchange views on pressing regional and global developments.
Several MoUs spanning economic, security and diplomatic domains are set to be signed during the visit, aimed at further enhancing cooperation between the two countries. Following the signing ceremony, Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Netanyahu will deliver joint statements to the media outlining the outcomes of their talks.
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PM Modi`s Knesset speech thrilled members says Israeli Ambassador to India
