Free trade agreement between India-Israel to conclude by June 2022: Envoy Gilon

The free trade agreement (FTA) between India and Israel will conclude by June 2022, stated Israel Ambassador to India Naor Gilon on Saturday.

Speaking toGilon said, "It's a negotiation. There was an agreement during the visit of the External Affairs Minister (EAM), S Jaishankar in Israel to reintensify discussions with aim of concluding it in June. We're working on it and are hopeful that by June as we put it as a target date, we will conclude it."

The first round of negotiations and talks on FTA was held in May 2010 but the deal came out as elusive.

However, in October this year, EAM S Jaishankar met his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid in Jerusalem and discussed matters of bilateral interest.

The EAM said after meeting with Israeli foreign minister Lapid, "Our officials have actually agreed on resumption of India-Israel Free Trade negotiations. Starting the negotiating process, talks will start in November and they are very confident that they'd be able to conclude negotiations by next June."

( With inputs from ANI )