World Jewish News

First-ever visit by India's President in Israel

India’s President Pranab Mukherjee will visit Isral on Tuesday, marking the first-ever such visit by an Indian President and a marked departure from New Delhi’s standpoint.

For the last two decades, India has been coy about its relationship with Israel but the new government led by Narendra Modi seems determined to break those pre-conceived notions.

So far, India has avoided a bilateral visit — at the level of head of state or head of government — to Israel since it was committed to the Palestinian cause and any visit to Israel would have been seen as distancing itself from that cause – which was the cornerstone of India’s foreign policy since 1947.

There have been only Foreign Minister or ministerial-level visits.

In recent months, India has pursued closer ties with Israel since the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014.

It has abstained – rather than vote against Israel – in three United Nation votes, leading to concern among some Palestinians that they were losing a reliable ally.

Speaking in Amman on Sunday at the University of Jordan, President Mukherjee was quoted by the Press Trust of India as saying that “India’s traditional support to the Palestinian cause remains steadfast and unwavering while we pursue strong relations with Israel. Our bilateral relations [with Israel] are independent of our relations with Palestine.”

India is Israel’s tenth largest trade partner overall, and Israel’s third largest trade partner in Asia after China and Hong Kong. In recent years, the bilateral trade has diversified into several sectors such as pharmaceuticals, agriculture, IT and telecom and, homeland security.

Israeli companies have invested in India in energy, renewable energy, telecom, real estate, water technologies, and are also setting up R&D centres or production units in India.

Speaking in Amman on Sunday at the University of Jordan, President Mukherjee was quoted by the Press Trust of India as saying that “India’s traditional support to the Palestinian cause remains steadfast and unwavering while we pursue strong relations with Israel. Our bilateral relations [with Israel] are independent of our relations with Palestine.”

The Indian president is scheduled to begin his program in Israel with a wreath-laying ceremony at Theodor Herzl’s tomb then a visit to Yad Vashem. In the evening, he’ll host a reception at the King David Hotel for representatives of the Indian Jewish community in Israel.

On Wednesday, he will begin his day with a meeting with President Reuven Rivlin, followed by a speech to the Knesset.

He also is scheduled to meet with Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, Opposition Head Isaac Herzog, and former president Shimon Peres before attending a state dinner in his honor at the President’s Residence.

On Thursday, he will receive an honorary doctorate from Hebrew University, sign an agreement on academic cooperation, and then meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Indian president will also visit the Palestinian Authority.

by Maureen Shamee

EJP