Israel, India signing the investment deal as Smotrich welcomed New Delhi International Trade News

The Indian Finance Minister calls for more cooperation in “cybersecurity” and “defense” between the two countries.

Israel and India have signed a bilateral investment agreement to expand mutual trade during the right -wing Israeli -right financial trip Bizalil Smotrich to the country of South Asia, which deepened its relations with Israel during the era of Hindu National Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The agreement, which was signed in New Delhi by Smotrich and the Indian Minister of Corporate Affairs, Nermalla Sitramman, aims to enhance commercial flows and investment between the two countries. Sitharaman emphasized the need for greater cooperation in “cybersecurity, defense, innovation and high technology.”

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“The deal was” an important strategic step for our common vision. “

“The agreement reached today between Israel and India reflects our economic growth, innovation and mutual prosperity,” he wrote on X.

“This agreement will open new opportunities for investors in both countries, enhance Israeli exports, and provide companies with certainty and tools to grow in one of the largest and fastest growing markets in the world.”

The Indian Ministry of Finance described the deal as a “historical teacher”, adding that it will enhance cooperation in “Find Sevation, infrastructure development, financial regulation and digital payment connection.”

The value of bilateral trade amounted to $ 3.9 billion in 2024, while the current joint investments are worth about 800 million dollars, according to official figures. But the largest part of the trade between the two countries in the field of defense and security, as New Delhi was the largest weapon buyer in Israel.

Last year, Indian companies also sold Israel Ructis and explosives during the Israel war on Gaza, Al Jazeera investigation open.

The agreement comes at a time when New Delhi is approaching Israel, so that Israel is facing the increasing political isolation of its genocide on Gaza. India was one of the first countries to communicate with Israel after the attack on October 7, 2023, on Israel, led by Hamas, which was convicted of it as a “terrorist act”.

The Indian authorities have taken pro -events protests, and even criminalizing them in some cases, while Allowing the supportive gatherings of Israel.

India still supports the two -state solution to resolve the Israeli -Palestinian conflict, but it has refrained from many United Nations resolutions that criticize the violations of Israeli rights against the Palestinians.

In 2024, India also declined to vote by the United Nations General Assembly calling for a “immediate, unconditional and permanent” ceasefire in Gaza.

The Indians are the largest group of foreign students in Israel, while Israeli construction companies sought to obtain permission to employ them 100,000 Indian workers To replace the Palestinians whose permits were canceled after Israel launched its brutal war on Gaza in October 2023.

India also refused to condemn the Israel war on Iran, and it refused to support Shanghai Cooperation Organization (Sco) condemning Israeli attacks. But after the tariff of US President Donald Trump, 50 percent of India, which entered into force late last month, New Delhi signed a Sco Declaration that condemned the Israeli -American bombing of Iran.

India has also moved to reforming its competing relations with China, on a setback for American policy years using New Delhi Kozen parallel to Beijing.

China and India should be partners, not competitors, Chinese President Xi Jinping Modi told the SCO summit in Tianjin.