India, Israel share close ties in agriculture, coronavirus fight
The strong ties between Israel and India have seen numerous collaborations, with some of the most notable being related to the coronavirus pandemic.
By AARON REICHAn Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane lands at the Ben Gurion International airport in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel, March 22, 2018.(photo credit: REUTERS/AMIR COHEN)
Israel and India share a close bond of friendship and complement each other, Israel's Ambassador to India Ron Malka said, the Press Trust of India reported.Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Indo-Israeli Centre of Excellence for Vegetables Protected Cultivation in the outskirts of Guwahati, the ambassador praised the close collaboration the two countries have had in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.This followed a meeting between a Malka-led delegation and Sarbananda Sonowal, chief minister of the Indian state of Assam, where they discussed a number of issues benefiting both India and Israel. This includes the Centre of Excellence, which Sonowal has said will be a valuable addition to government efforts at boosting farmer income through the infusion of new technological innovations in agriculture and food processing, the Press Trust of India reported.The project is valued at Rs 10.33 crore, and will see Israeli technologies used by Assam's farmers to help them maximize production and income, Sonowal explained.He further asked for Israeli help and cooperation in aiding the state's growth in other sectors, such as industry.The strong ties between Israel and India have seen numerous collaborations, with some of the most notable being related to the coronavirus pandemic, such as cooperation in testing efforts.In early October, a 30-second coronavirus test was announced by Malka as being nearly ready for release. Known as Operation "Open Skies," the test was seen by Malka as “a shining example of how fruitful collaboration in science and technology between Israel and India can be.”Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman contributed to this report.
