There is natural bond between India & Israel : Minister

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh on March 2, 2018, launched the social media of “Namaste Shalom”, a magazine devoted to India-Israel relations, here.

The festive occasion of Holi coincided with the Jewish festival of Purim. The magazine is edited by former MP Tarun Vijay. Israeli Ambassador to India Daniel Carmon and other dignitaries were also present.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Jitendra Singh said that there was a natural bond between Israel and India, who shared rich cultural and economic relations. They had faced similar hardships as well as successes in the past which obviated the need for making any extra effort for bonding the people of the two countries, he added. He said the recent visit of PM Narendra Modi to Israel vindicated the firm and deep-rooted relations between the two countries.

He announced that a food processing centre with collaboration of Israeli expertise will be inaugurated in Aizwal, Mizoram, on March 7, 2018. This will be the first such centre in the North East region of India being established with Israeli collaboration. Set up at a cost of Rs 8-10 crore, this centre is exclusively for processing of citrus fruits. The project has been set up with the tripartite collaboration of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, Government of Israel and State Government of Mizoram, according to a PIB release.

Though located in Mizoram, this centre will cater to the whole North-East. There are 22 such operational centres in India including in the states of Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab. The first centre was established in 2008 in Haryana.  Daniel Carmon said that in the long run, Israel wants to establish one such centre in each state of India.