New Delhi [India], February 11 : Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal on Tuesday spoke about the relationship between India and Israel, calling both nations "natural partners" and "friends," and stated that both have suffered from the "common problem of terrorism."
While speaking at the India-Israel Business Forum in the national capital, the Union Minister said that there was no competition between the two nations on the global stage and that both nations "complement" each other.
"We are two natural partners. We have been friends. We have suffered from common problems of terrorism. We complement each other; we are not in competition. We see a bright future for the Israel-India partnership," Goyal said.
He further reflected on the long-standing challenges both countries have faced from external and internal threats, noting how these threats have disrupted peace and development.
"For years, people have been coming across the border, people within the country, disturbing peace and quality of the country, disturbing our progress towards a better future for our people. Both work with a shared purpose of putting an end to terrorism; we, in our country, are also, in some sense, working towards eliminating the problems that we have been facing for so many years," Goyal said.
"In 2026, next year, the whole country is going to be free entirely from Naxalite activities," he added.
Additionally, Goyal noted that the focus of the forum was to foster business-to-business contacts and build long-term partnerships between the two nations.
"At the appropriate time, the concerned departments will be engaged with each other. During this visit, we are focused on business-to-business contacts and building enduring partnerships. There is so much that Israel has to offer to India and there's so much we can do together to meet the needs and aspirations, not only of 140 crore Indians but also the world," he added.