Collaborative R&D and Water Security can Strengthen India-Israel Ties, Feel Experts

January 22, 2014

New Delhi: India–Israel diplomatic relations are based on four strong pillars – political, defence, agriculture and trade and economy, said Israel’s Deputy Chief of Mission/Charge de’ Affairs to India, Mr Yahel Vilan today. Mr Vilan was delivering a special address at the 13th Bilateral Dialogue between the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) and Begin-Sadat Strategic Studies (BESA) at IDSA on January 22, 2014.

Speaking about Indo-Israel cooperation in agriculture, Mr Vilan said Israel is helping India to “produce more with less” and would be happy to contribute to India’s food security.

Mr Vilan further asserted that elaborate joint R&D activities between the two nations and collaborative efforts on water and food security issues are required to complement the main pillars of diplomatic relations between India and Israel.

During the discussion on evolving global strategic environment, the speakers assessed the changes taking place in West Asia. They said that the US influence in the region is declining because of the rise of China and the US drawing down in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The two sides discussed at length the evolving situation in West Asia, the Syrian civil war and specially the prospects for Geneva II talks, Iran’s nuclear issue, the spread of terrorism in the region and the sectarian violence in the region.
The annual IDSA–BESA dialogue has over the years evolved as a major Track-2 platform for in depth exchange of views on global, regional and bilateral issues between India and Israel.