Narendra Modi landed in Israel this afternoon at Ben Gurion International airport for an historic first-ever visit to the country by an Indian Prime Minister. Modi, who will spend the next three days in the country, for the most part in the company of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, began his stay by visiting a flower farm near Beit Dagan and then the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and Museum in Jerusalem.
Government sources, reports "Walla," have been instructed to treat Prime Minister Modi with the same level of respect that was accorded to US President Donald Trump during his visit in May.
Modi's visit marks 25 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Israel. At the airport reception, Netanyahu said, "We have waited a long time for your visit. 70 years to be exact and this is an historic visit. We love India, we admire your history, culture, and we are kindred spirits."
He added, "The first time we met three years ago at the UN, we shook hands and agreed on historic cooperation. Do you remember how I told you in our first conversation that when it comes to Israel-India relations, the sky is the limit. And I say to you it is more than just the skies. We are even working together on projects in the skies. Through this visit you are strengthening cooperation between Israel and India, cooperation in which much money is being invested. In Silicon valley in the US the two most commonly heard foreign languages are Hindu and Hebrew. Welcome to Israel."
Modu thanked Netanyahu and said, "It is a great honor to be the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel. I expect to promote the connection with the Indian community in Israel in which there is a large number of Jews of Indian origin."
Modu, who is staying in the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, will dine with Netanyahu this evening.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on July 4, 2017
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2017 ".