Jaishankar to embark on 3-day visit to Israel

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will embark on a three-day official visit to Israel from Sunday, in the first high-level engagement between Prime Minister Narendra Modi government and the new Israeli government led by Naftali Bennett.

During his visit, the EAM Jaishankar will meet the top leadership of the Israel coalition government including Israeli PM Naftali Bennett, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and National Security Advisor Eyal Hulata.

Israel's foreign secretary Alon Ushpiz tweeted his welcome for Jaishankar. "Shubho Bijoya/Happy Dussehra to all of you, on the eve of @DrSJaishankar's important visit to Israel. India is a strategic partner and a very close friend."

Jaishankar's Israel visit follows his three-nation tour of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Armenia.

India and Israel have traditionally enjoyed close ties and has over the years developed close "cooperation" in intelligence sharing and "counter insurgency" operations.

Although India had recognised the Jewish State of Israel way back in 1950, it established full diplomatic relations only in 1992. Since then there has been an upswing in the relations between the two countries in view of the common concerns about religious extremism and global terrorism.

India has become a major buyer of Israeli armaments and Israel is among the key partners of India in agriculture.

( With inputs from ANI )