India and Israel agreed to resume talks on a free trade agreement from November, with the aim of signing a deal by mid-2022, both countries said on Monday.
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Ties between the two countries have grown closer in the seven years since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been in power, and a number of strategic, military and technology partnerships have been formed during that time.
Free trade talks were announced after Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and India's Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met in Jerusalem, where they also agreed on mutual recognition of vaccination certificates and expanded cooperation in water and agriculture, the countries said in a statement.
"We are continuing with our policy of connections, and we have seen in India a very important ally for many years. India also brings with her new opportunities for cooperation," Lapid said.
Total merchandise trade between the two countries stood at $4.67 billion by the end of last financial year ending in March 2021, according to data from India's trade ministry.
While in Jerusalem, Jaishankar visited the Jerusalem Forest and took part in a KKL-JNF ceremony that unveiled a sign that had been erected by an Indian delegation to Israel that planted trees there in 1960.
Jaishankar and his wife took two stones from the forest as souvenirs. Jaishankar said he would keep one stone in his home in New Delhi and would return the second stone the next time he visited Israel.
KKL-JNF Chief Development Officer Ronnie Vinnikov said, "At this time, when the world is once again facing a growing threat, the KKL-JNF sees India as a critical partner in the battle against climate change, and hopes to cooperate with it through technological initiatives to save our future generations.
"Our talents, our solutions, and our minds are at your service," Vinnikov said.
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