External Affairs Minister Jaishankar on Tuesday met the Speaker of Israel’s Knesset, and also visited the Ovda airbase.
Jaishankar held extensive talks with the Knesset Speaker Levy and with Ben Barak, and appreciated their broad support for the India relationship in the Knesset. “Called on Speaker of Knesset of Israel, @MKMickeyLevy this morning. “Had a wide ranging discussion with him and Chairman of Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee @Ram_Ben_Barak “Appreciated the broad support for the India relationship in the Knesset,” he posted.
He also visited the Ovda airbase, a military airbase in the Uvda region of southern Israel, and met the Indian Air Force contingent participating in the Blue Flag exercise. Jaishankar said he was delighted to see the mutual respect and chemistry between Indian and Israeli Air Force professionals, and said that “Defense and security are key pillars of our relationship.” “Visited the Ovda airbase to meet the @IAF_MCC participants at Ex-Blue Flag – No 1 Sqn “TIGERS”.
“Delighted to see the mutual respect and chemistry between Indian and Israeli Air Force professionals. Defense and security are key pillars of our relationship,” he tweeted. This year the largest Blue Flag aerial exercise is being held in Israel with the participation of seven countries. The Indian Air Force’s Mirage 2000 aircraft squadron is taking part in Blue Flag 2021.
The seven countries participating include Germany, Italy, Britain, France, India, Greece, and the US. Jaishankar also went to the Kibbutz Be’erot Yitzhak in central Israel. The Kibbutz is an Israeli collective settlement, usually agricultural and often also industrial, in which all wealth is held in common and profits are reinvested in the settlement. “Went to Kibbutz Be’erot Yitzhak to see modern livestock management technologies. These include substantial enhancement in animal health and milk yields. “India-Israel tech collaboration holds great promise,” he said.