Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said India and Israel must work together to eliminate terrorism and ensure peace and security, as both nations formally signed the Terms of Reference to start negotiations on a long-pending Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
Addressing the India-Israel Business Summit in Tel Aviv, Goyal referred to the recent October 7 Hamas attack and its aftermath, praising Israelis for their resilience. He drew parallels with terrorism in India, citing attacks in Pahalgam, Kashmir, and the recent Delhi blast, emphasizing that both nations must collaborate to tackle terrorism.
Highlighting the deepening emotional ties between the countries, Goyal said, “We may be geographically far apart, but emotionally, the people of Israel and India are very close.”
Leading a 60-member business delegation, Goyal described the upcoming FTA talks as a milestone for bilateral trade. He noted India’s expertise could aid projects such as Tel Aviv’s metro system and pointed to opportunities in fintech, agritech, machine learning, quantum computing, pharmaceuticals, space, and defence.
Earlier, Goyal held a bilateral meeting with Israel’s Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat. He will travel to Jerusalem on Friday to further strengthen economic cooperation and boost trade and investment ties. (Agencies)
