Demise of Gen Rawat is a 'loss of a friend', says Israeli envoy Naor Gilon

Israeli envoy to India, Naor Gilon on Thursday said that the demise of India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash in the Nilgiri Hills is "a loss of a friend".

Talking with ANI, he said, "Gen. Rawat was a hero son of India and champion of very strong defence relations between Israel and India. For us, it is a loss of a friend. The top leadership of our country knew him, valued his friendship."

"13 people lost their life with Gen Rawat. You saw in the reactions from Israel coming from Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, former PM Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yair Lapid, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi, Minister of Defence Benny Gantz, Speaker of Parliament, Mickey Levy," added Gilon.

The Israeli envoy further stated that everyone knew him, appreciated him, valued his friendship because its part of the alliance between India and Israel.

"For us, anyhow the military side and the defence side things are very close to our heart. He touched us at many levels," said Gilon.

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat, his Defence Adviser Brigadier Lakhbinder Singh Lidder, Staff Officer Lieutenant Colonel Harjinder Singh and nine other Armed Forces personnel including the Air Force helicopter crew were killed in the helicopter crashed around noon on Wednesday shortly after it took off from the Air Force base in Sulur, Coimbatore, for Wellington in the Nilgiri Hills.

A veteran of counterinsurgency warfare, CDS Rawat served in the most difficult terrains including northern and eastern commands.

CDS Rawat was commissioned into the Indian Army in December 1978. He previously served as Chief of the Army Staff from January 2017 to December 2019.

( With inputs from ANI )