Jesusalam: Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Israel as a “very significant step”, as it is the first one by an Indian premier.

He called this as an important step for strengthening bilateral relations that are on a “constant upswing”.

In a big fillip to already robust ties, Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to land in Israel on July 4 for a three-day visit.

Netanyahu, while speaking at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting, said, “Next week, the Indian Prime Minister, my friend, Narendra Modi will arrive in Israel, This is a historic visit to Israel. In the 70 years of the country’s existence, no Indian Prime Minister

has ever visited and this is a further expression of the state of Israel’s military, economic and diplomatic strength.”

India is a huge country with over 1.25 billion people and is one of the world’s largest, growing economies. Ties between Israel and India are on a “constant upswing”, the Israeli premier said.

Modi’s visit is aimed at commemorating 25 years of establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Modi is likely to meet Netanyahu on 4th of July in the evening. He would also be addressing the Indian community there the following day in Tel Aviv.

Netanyahu said that the Cabinet will sit to discuss and approve decisions that will help strengthen Indo-Israel ties, beginning with expanding exports and deepening cooperation in agriculture and water.

“We will establish a joint innovation, and research and development, fund. We will also increase tourism from India to Israel; this has very great potential. All of this is an additional expression of Israel’s enhanced international position in recent years as we strengthen the state of Israel,” Netanyahu said.

The two leaders have already met twice on foreign soil on the sidelines of UN-related events and are said to have been in constant touch with each other over the phone.

“I am happy that often we can talk easily on the telephone, we can discuss everything. It has very rarely happened. In your case it has happened,” Modi had told Netanyahu during their meeting on the sidelines of Paris Climate Summit in November 2015. The Israeli premier had then promptly responded saying, “in your case too”.

The defence ties between India and Israel have often drawn worldwide attention and acquired strategic dimensions. It is believed that Modi’s visit would further solidify security ties as Israeli defence industries have shown a greater inclination towards participating in joint ventures to give a boost to NDA government’s ‘Make in India’ campaign.

Prime Minister Modi’s visit has been preceded by several other high-profile visits, including the trip of National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, several senior secretaries, Minister of State for Agriculture S S Ahluwalia-led 11 member multi-party parliamentary delegation and Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba’s five-day visit earlier this month.

All these visits have laid the groundwork for several MoUs that are likely to be signed during Modi’s visit.

– With inputs from agency