Israeli Prez keen on boosting ties

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Gharaunda (Karnal), Nov 18

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin today emphasised “B to B” (business to business) and “G to G” (government to government) relationships between India and Israel.

He said India could learn from the Israeli experience and knowledge in agriculture, water conservation and water cleaning techniques.

He hoped that Indo-Israel cooperation would be continued with the same pace and extended to other areas of mutual interest.

Rivlin reiterated that cooperation between both nations was now being expanded in the fields of agriculture, water and security.

“I see the future of the relationship between India and Israel as something going on not only between the government and administration, but between the people as well. I believe in the connection between the people of India and Israel and the understanding,” the Israeli President said.

“We have to take care of each other that will bring about a lot of cooperation, started 25 years ago. It is now being expanded to a level where no one can even foresee in all fields of agriculture and water,” he said.

“We are cooperating and not hiding any kind of business from each other as we are very open,” he stated. Rivlin is on a state visit to India, the first by an Israeli President in around 20 years.

India and Israel had signed agreements for an agricultural partnership in 2006, under which Israel had been sharing its best practices and knowledge, especially through drip irrigation and protected cultivation.

Haryana had undertaken six Indo-Israeli projects as centres of excellence — for vegetables in Gharaunda, fruits in Mangiana, Sirsa, sub-tropical fruits in Ladwa, Kurukshetra, bee-keeping in Ram Nagar, Kurukshetra, floriculture in Sondhi, Jhajjar, and dairy farming in Hisar.

The centres for floriculture and model dairy are to be established as land for them had been identified.

The President, along with Nechama Rivlin, First Lady, reached the Centre of Excellence for Vegetables in Gharaunda under tight security.

He visited the nursery at hi-tech greenhouses, and saw the demonstration of different varieties of vegetables, including tomatoes, capsicum, cucumber and chillies, grown by using polyhouse technique. He saw the muskmelon crop cultivated in a walk-in tunnel.

Rivlin inaugurated a signpost set up as a gesture of thanks to Israel and its President for their cooperation in establishing of centres of excellence in Haryana.

Reviewing the hi-tech greenhouses, the Israeli President praised the quality of seedling produced and mentioned that the quality of seedling produced here was better than in Israel.

During interaction, Rivlin appreciated the work of Indo-Israeli projects in the state and lauded the people of Haryana for the successful use of technologies of Israel.

“You are doing a miracle. We appreciate you for using Israeli knowledge and experience to become much better. We salute you for the ability and efficiency and using our knowledge to be better. I feel the same as I am in Israel,” he said.