Israel’s FM Gideon Sa’ar hails India as a global superpower, praising strong India-Israel ties in defense, trade, counterterrorism, and innovation.

Gideon Sa’ar, Israel’s foreign minister, called India a “global superpower” and said that the two democracies’ ties are “stronger than ever,” covering everything from trade and defense to counterterrorism and innovation.

This was the Israeli minister’s only interview in India after he met with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. It shows how important the increasing partnership between India and Israel is in a Middle East that is always changing.

Sa’ar told in an exclusive interview, “We are getting better all the time.” We appreciate India’s friendship. He stated that the two countries were getting ready to sign a deal about working together on defense. “We are making progress in defense, agriculture, and the economy, but we always want to make it stronger,” he said.

The MoU was made official in Tel Aviv during the 17th India-Israel Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on Defense Cooperation. The meeting was co-chaired by Rajesh Kumar Singh, the Indian Defense Secretary, and Amir Baram, the Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Defense.

Israel Thanks India for Its Help After the Attacks on October 7

Sa’ar said he was very grateful for India’s quick denunciation of the Hamas terrorist strikes on October 7, 2023, which started the current conflict. He remarked, “We will never forget that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first world leader to call Prime Minister Netanyahu on that terrible day.” “We will always remember that India stood by us.”

Sa’ar stressed the necessity for continuity in the stalled peace process in Gaza. He stated, “The most important thing is to keep the Trump peace plan as the only game in town.” He warned against changes imposed by other countries. “It’s a plan that can be carried out in stages and is reasonable. India, as a world leader, has a critical responsibility in ensuring it remains on track.”

No Palestinian state unless security is guaranteed

The Israeli foreign minister was very clear when asked about the two-state solution, which has been talked about for a long time. “We can’t create a Palestinian state today that would put our safety at risk,” Sa’ar stated. He also said that the Middle East still has “terror states” from Gaza to Lebanon and Yemen, with Iran’s support.

“The Trump proposal doesn’t imply we have to create a Palestinian state; it depends on the situation. “We’ve learned from our mistakes and won’t make them again,” he said.

Sa’ar claimed that Israel’s goal with Hamas is still to take away the group’s military power and replace its government in Gaza. “Hamas keeps killing its enemies in broad daylight to scare people. He said, “Our plan is to put someone else in charge and end this terror regime once and for all.”

The India-Israel counterterrorism and defense partnership is getting stronger.

Sa’ar said that India and Israel have “the same pain and experience” when it comes to terrorism. “There’s terror everywhere, and sadly, the people of India know how bad it is,” he remarked. “We call groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist groups and work with closely on intelligence, technology, and defense. Israel has more experience dealing with terrorism than any other country, and we are eager to share that knowledge with India.

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He said that new structures for sharing defense and information are being worked on, which he dubbed “a real strategic partnership” between the two countries.

Adani’s Haifa Investment, Trade, and Connectivity

Sa’ar said that Israel is ready to bring back projects like the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC), which was first announced during the 2023 G20 Summit in New Delhi. “There was a break because of the war, but we are ready to go on,” he remarked.

Sa’ar dubbed Adani Group’s controlling shareholding in Haifa Port a “symbol of trust.” “Our country’s air defense system protects our investments and our country.” “We’re happy with Adani’s investment—it’s good for both sides,” he said.

He also stressed the importance of restarting direct flights between India and Israel to increase tourism, trade, and the movement of Indian workers who are helping to develop Israel’s sectors.

“India Is the Future, Israel Is a Partner”

Sa’ar ended the discussion on a positive note about the relationship between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Netanyahu. “They talk about strategic and sensitive issues in a very transparent way. “I hope they get together soon,” he remarked.

“We both want to have a meaningful strategic cooperation. The future is India. We are a regional power, but Israel is smaller. We can do big things together, and I’m sure we will.

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Sa’ar also said that Israel will send high-level representatives to next year’s Artificial Intelligence Summit in India. This shows that the two democracies are ready to work together on new issues.