India and Israel have signed 7 agreements on areas including space, tech and agriculture during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel. Also, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit marks the 25 years of establishment of diplomatic relationship between India and Israel.
In the joint statement released after talks between India and Israel, both the countries have called for taking strong measures against terror organisations and also against those who encouraged, supported and financed terrorism.
- MoU for setting up of India-Israel Industrial R&D & Technological Innovation Fund (I4F).
- MoU for conservation of water in India.
- MoU on State Water Utility Reform in India.
- India-Israel Development Cooperation- 3-year work program in Agriculture (2018-2020).
- Plan of cooperation regarding cooperation in atomic clocks.
- MoU regarding cooperation in GEO-LEO optical link.
- MoU regarding cooperation in electric propulsion for small satellites.
6. Prime Minister Modi’s Israel Visit: Other Important Takeaways.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-day visit to Israel which is the first by an Indian prime minister to Israel resulted in the signing of seven agreements on areas including space, tech and agriculture. The other prominent takeaways of the visit are the following:
OCI card :
Prime Minister Modi has assured faster facilitation of OCI cards for Jewish Citizens of Indian origin in Israel. He also assured that the OCI card will be given even to those people of Indian origin who had served in the Israeli government’s compulsory army service.
Air Connectivity :
The launch of a new Air India flight connecting India and Israel was announced, the flight is expected to connect Delhi/Mumbai with Tel Aviv.
Israeli flower named after PM Modi :
As a special gesture, a new fast growing Israeli Crysanthumun flower was named “MODI” after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the Indian Premier’s visit to the Danziger flower farm, which is one of the leading floriculture companies of Israel having founded in 1953.
Strategic partnership :
India and Israel have announced that they have elevated their ties to a strategic partnership as India has identified Israel as a major development and technological partner. Both countries have also agreed to combat growing radicalization and terrorism and expand co-operation in cyber security.
Indian Cultural Centre :
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the establishment of an Indian Cultural Centre in Israel to enhance people-to-people contacts between the two countries. Israel’s has also voiced its strong support to promote the practice of yoga by designating June 21 as International Yoga Day.
Israel India Innovation Initiative Fund (I4F)
The $40 million Israel India Innovation Initiative Fund has been launched as a five-year technology fund with an aim at growing the business relationship between both the countries. The similar type of fund had boosted Israel’s ties with that of the US in the past 40 years.
7. US calls for new U.N. sanctions against N.Korea.
The United States has decided to present a draft resolution in the U.N. Security Council aimed at imposing new sanctions on North Korea as it has successfully launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).
An emergency meeting of the UNSC was called by the United States, Japan and South Korea to agree on a response to the North Korea’s ICBM test. In the emergency meeting, the US has said that the launch of an ICBM by the North Korea is a clear and sharp escalation. Under the new sanctions, the US has decided to use trade restrictions targeting those countries that continue to have dealings with North Korea.
France has expressed its support for a new resolution. In last year, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) had adopted two sanctions resolutions to curtail hard currency needed to fund North Korea’s military programs. Those resolutions paved the way for imposing bans on North Korea’s coal exports, which is its major source of revenue.
In addition, the sanctions also placed restrictions on banking and provided for mandatory searches of all cargo to and from North Korea. In total, so far six sets of sanctions have been imposed on North Korea since it has first tested an atomic device in 2006.
8. European Parliament approves first EU-Cuba pact.
The European Parliament overwhelmingly approved Wednesday a first-ever cooperation deal between the EU and Cuba, despite lingering concerns about human rights violations in the communist-ruled country.
Lawmakers in the eastern French city of Strasbourg approved the Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement, signed in December 2016, which is widely seen as a European riposte to US President Donald Trump’s hardline stance against Havana.
“Europe has a great opportunity to demonstrate to the United States, which intends to withdraw, that it is possible to maintain the highest level of expectations on Cuba” and normalize relations with Havana, said MEP Elena Valenciano, the rapporteur of the agreement.
With the deal, Cuba joins other Latin American countries with similar agreements with the EU, whose relations with the island had previously been conducted within the so-called Common Position that linked ties to improvements in human rights.
Human rights remained a major hurdle to the deal, which had been negotiated since April 2014, with many MEPs calling for tougher language on the issue.
In an effort to placate opponents of the deal, the European Parliament adopted a non-legislative resolution on Wednesday in which MEPs urged the EU to assist “the economic and political transition in Cuba” including towards “democratic standards.”
MEPs, who in the past granted Cuban dissidents the Sakharov Prize for human rights, also urged the release of all those jailed “for their ideals and their peaceful political activity.”
With the vote, the agreement, which also lays the basis for trade relations, will enter into force provisionally in the coming months.
Full implementation will require ratification by the EU’s 28 member countries in a complex process that can take years.
9. India ranks 23rd among 165 nations in Cybersecurity Index.
India has been placed at the 23rd position in the global cybersecurity index among other 165 nations. The index measures the commitment of nations across the globe to ensuring cybersecurity to their digital systems.
Released by the UN telecommunications agency International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the second Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) reported that around half of the countries have a cyber security policy or are in the process of developing one. They urged countries to consider national policies to shield against cybercrime.
India with a score of 0.683 is listed in the maturity category, which refers to 77 countries that have developed complex commitments to cyber security.
Singapore with a score of 0.925 topped the index.
The top 10 most committed countries to cyber security are Singapore, United States, Malaysia, Oman, Estonia, Mauritius, Australia, Georgia, France and Canada. Russia is ranked 11th.