Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar described India as a “global superpower” and said that relations between the two democracies are “stronger than ever”, spanning from defence and innovation to counterterrorism and trade.
This was the Israeli minister’s only interview in India after his meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, underscoring the significance of the growing India-Israel partnership amid a volatile Middle East.
In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Sa’ar said, “We are improving consistently. We are thankful for India’s friendship,” emphasising that the two nations are preparing to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on defence cooperation. “We are moving forward on defence, agriculture, and economy, but we always have the passion to make it stronger,” he added.Reflecting on the October 7, 2023, terror attacks by Hamas that triggered the ongoing conflict, Sa’ar expressed deep gratitude for India’s swift condemnation. “We will not forget the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first world leader to call Prime Minister Netanyahu on that awful day,” he said. “India stood by us, and we will remember that.”
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