Netanyahu, Modi to meet 'very soon': Israel PMO

Jerusalem, Dec 10 (PTI) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday spoke to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and the two leaders “agreed to meet very soon”, officials here said.

Sharing about the talks between Netanyahu and Modi over the telephone, the Israeli PMO in a social media post said, “At the end of the warm and friendly conversation, the two leaders agreed to meet very soon.” The much-anticipated trip of the Israeli prime minister would come on the heels of several high-level ministerial visits from both sides.

Minister of Tourism Haim Katz, Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Avi Dichter, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich had visited India earlier this year as the strategic partners build up momentum to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The two countries signed a Bilateral  Investment Treaty (BIT) during Smotrich’s visit and then a Terms of Reference (TOR) leading to FTA during the visit of Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal to Israel last month.

Informed sources in Israel rubbished reports recently that Netanyahu postponed his trip to India due to security concerns in the wake of Delhi blasts.

Israel had expressed “full confidence” in India’s security apparatus, saying that the two sides are working on dates for Netanyahu's visit. PTI HM SCY SCY