Moving Beyond Defence, India-Israel Say 'History In Making': 10 Points

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu have hailed the visit as historic.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi and the Prime Minister of Israel, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu at the Israeli Museum for Exhibition on India-Jewish Heritage, in Jerusalem, Israel on July 05, 2017

JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu talked of "shared priorities" and a partnership that "can help global peace and stability," after holding back-to-back meetings over four hours and signing seven deals, including pacts on agriculture and water management. PM Modi thanked Mr Netanyahu for his warm welcome and hospitality and invited the Israeli Prime Minister and his wife to India. Mr Netanyahu immediately accepted the offer to a round of applause. This is the first visit to Israel by an Indian Prime Minister.

Here are your 10-point guide to PM Narendra Modi's Israel visit:

1. After their meetings the two leaders met Moshe Holtzberg - an Israeli child who as a toddler survived the 2008 terror attack at a Jewish centre in Mumbai. Moshe, now 11, read out a welcome note for PM Modi, saying "Dear Mr Modi, I Love you". 

2.Mr Netanyahu said both countries are "challenged by forces of terror" and that their meeting with Moshe Holtzberg is an "expression of our commitment to fight the bad and defend the good."

3."Ours is a partnership to seek good, defend good and achieve good. This is indeed a good day," said Mr Netyanhu, adding, "We spoke about so many fields where we can make a big difference - agriculture, water, health...today, India and Israel are changing our world and parts of the world." "We are making history together," Mr Netanyahu said.

4. PM Modi said Mr Netanyahu  and he "agreed to do much more together to protect our strategic interests." He said they discussed "the situation in West Asia and the wider region", adding that "it is India's hope that peace, dialogue and restraint will prevail."

5.PM Modi also said that thriving two-way trade and investment flows were the bed-rock of a strong partnership. The two leaders will meet top CEOs from both countries tomorrow.

6.Earlier today, PM Modi, who is on a three-day visit, met Israeli President Reuven Rivlin in his first formal engagement and tweeted a photo, saying, "The President of Israel welcomed me so warmly, he broke protocol. This is a mark of respect for the people of India." Mr Rivlin recalled his visit to India last year and said PM Modi is "one of the greatest democratic leaders."

7."I for I, India for Israel and Israel for India," said PM Modi, who was greeted with a warm hug by President Rivlin. PM Modi has said it is a "singular honour" to be the first Indian PM to undertake "this groundbreaking visit. "

8."We've been waiting for you a long time. We've been waiting almost 70 years in fact...The connection between us is natural, so natural that we might ask, what took so long?" said Mr Netanyahu on Tuesday. PM Modi had said hello in Hebrew and Mr Netanyahu spoke in Hindi after a grand welcome at the airport that Israel reserves for US Presidents.

9.Mr Netanyahu, who usually meets visiting heads of government for a meeting and over dinner or lunch meeting, is accompanying PM Modi, who he has fondly and frequently referred to as "my friend", to most engagements. This gesture, he said, "befits the leader of the largest democracy in the world".

10.The Israeli Prime Minister will also accompany PM Modi this evening when he addresses the Indian community in Jerusalem where a crowd of over 5,000 is expected. Singers from Bollywood are also expected to perform at the event.