Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich meets Gujarat CM; explores ties in finance, technology

Gandhinagar, Sep 10 (IANS) Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, on his first visit to India, met Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar, underlining the growing warmth in bilateral relations.

Leading a delegation, Smotrich said India, Gujarat, and Israel share common ground in heritage, culture, trade, and technology, and stressed that these links must be deepened in the years ahead.

Smotrich noted that he had long wished to visit Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and highlighted the scope for strengthening business-to-business partnerships.

He pointed to the potential of Israeli financial institutions setting up operations at the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), while also expressing keen interest in India’s UPI system and financial protocols.

Praising India’s consistent support to Israel, he said warm personal ties between PM Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have further cemented the partnership, especially in counter-terrorism.

Chief Minister Patel, welcoming the delegation, said India-Israel relations have strengthened under PM Modi’s leadership, built on a shared policy of zero tolerance to terrorism. Patel stressed that Gujarat is open to collaboration with Israel in several sectors, especially in agriculture, where Israel’s drip irrigation model has shown global success.

On GIFT City, he said a joint team of officials from both sides could work together to explore more opportunities for investment and cooperation.

The Chief Minister also offered condolences for the recent loss of lives in Israel and commended the nation’s resilience in facing challenges.

The meeting was attended by senior Gujarat government officials, including Chief Principal Secretary to the CM M.K. Das and Finance Secretary Arti Kanwar.

India and Israel share a strong and growing partnership built on mutual interests in Defence, technology, agriculture, and finance, with ties deepening especially under PM Modi’s leadership.

The two nations collaborate closely on counter-terrorism, water management, and innovation, while Israeli expertise in areas like drip irrigation and cybersecurity complements India’s vast markets and talent pool.

Warm personal relations between PM Modi and Israeli PM Netanyahu have further strengthened political trust, paving the way for increased business-to-business engagement, investment in hubs like GIFT City, and a broader strategic alignment that blends economic cooperation with shared security concerns.

--IANS

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