India and Israel vow to deepen bilateral ties

India on Tuesday backed the Gaza peace plan with the hope that it leads to a lasting solution, as external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa’ar held talks on deepening cooperation in counterterrorism, trade, and regional connectivity through projects such as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).

- Rezaul H Laskar

The fight against terrorism, including the need for a zero tolerance approach towards the menace from the world community, figured in the meeting between the two ministers. Sa’ar is on his first visit to India, becoming the fifth Israeli minister to travel to the country this year. The visits prepared the grounds for a planned trip by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, people familiar with the matter said.

Noting that India has been closely following developments in West Asia, Jaishankar welcomed the return of Israeli hostages and the remains of those who lost their lives in Hamas’ terror attacks in October 2023. “India supports the Gaza peace plan and hopes that it paves the way for a durable and lasting solution,” he said.