Netanyahu reaffirms support to India in fight against terror

Jerusalem, Dec 18 (PTI) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu has reaffirmed his government's commitment to
promote Indo-Israel cooperation in fighting terrorism in all
its manifestations.
Netanyahu told the visiting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
President, Nitin Gadkari on Friday that Israel shared India's
security concerns and was cooperating with New Delhi in this
regard.
The Israeli Prime Minister spoke to Gadkari over phone
and thanked him for visiting Israel at the invitation of his
government.
Gadkari appreciated the warm welcome extended to him
and his party delegation by the Israeli government and
reiterated the BJP's strong commitment to maintain friendly
relations with Israel.
The BJP President apprised Netanyahu for the research
and development projects he had visited in the fields of
homeland security, agro-tech industries, including fisheries,
irrigation, water management etc.
Gadkari assured the Israeli Prime Minister that he
would explore the opportunities for collaborative research and
development and training in these areas in respective
institutions of the two countries, particularly in the NDA
ruled states.
The BJP President on a six-day goodwill visit is
accompanied by a party delegation including former Rajasthan
Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje and party general secretary in
charge of organisation Ramlal.
Gadkari also met the governor of Israeli Central Bank
Stanley Fischer and explored the trade potential between the
two countries in untapped areas.
Diamonds constituted about 41.9 per cent of the
bilateral trade in the year 2009. Other major export items
from India to Israel during the year 2009 were diamonds,
plants and vegetable products, textiles and textile articles,
base metals and machinery.
Major items exported by Israel to India were mineral
products, diamonds, base metals, machinery, transport
equipment and telecom and software products and services.
According to figures available from the department
of Industrial Policy and Promotion, government of India, FDI
inflows from Israel to India from April 2000 to April 2010
totaled USD 51.87 million.
Many Israeli companies also invest in India through
the US and Europe. PTI CORR
AVT