Jerusalem, February 26 – Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, held delegation-level talks in Jerusalem on Thursday, the last day of the Indian leader’s two-day visit to the country.
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, and other officials were also present at the meeting.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, discussing ways to further strengthen cooperation in areas such as education, startups, innovation, technology, and connectivity.
Prime Minister Modi also planted a tree in the Presidential Gardens under the "One Tree, Dedicated to Mother India" initiative and invited Herzog to visit India in the near future.
"Warm ties and goodwill! Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog today. Prime Minister thanked President Herzog for his steadfast support in strengthening the special India-Israel partnership. Both leaders explored avenues to further enhance cooperation in education, startups, innovation, technology, and connectivity," stated MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on X.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi planted a tree in the Presidential Gardens under the ‘One Tree, Dedicated to Mother India’ initiative. Prime Minister also extended an invitation to President Herzog to visit India in the near future," he added.
Prior to meeting with the Israeli President, Prime Minister Modi visited the Yad Vashem World Holocaust Remembrance Centre in Jerusalem, laying a wreath at the memorial in memory of the Holocaust victims.
Prime Minister Modi was accompanied by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Yad Vashem Chairman Dani Dayan as he visited the Holocaust Memorial and Museum, which commemorates and documents the Holocaust.
The visit included a tour of the "Book of Names" – a monumental installation containing the names of 4.8 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust – and a memorial ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance. Prime Minister Modi also signed the Yad Vashem guest book.
This was Prime Minister Modi's second visit to Yad Vashem, having also visited the memorial in July 2017 during his last visit to the country.
Prime Minister Modi is currently on a two-day state visit to Israel. He was accorded a grand welcome by Netanyahu and his wife, Sara Netanyahu, in Tel Aviv on Wednesday. Later, he addressed a Special Plenary of the Knesset in Jerusalem – the first such address by an Indian Prime Minister at the Israeli parliament.