PM Modi addresses Joint press Statement with PM Netanyahu of Israel

Published By : Admin | January 15, 2018 | 14:00 IST
QuoteWe will strengthen the existing pillars of cooperation in areas that touch the lives of our peoples. These are agriculture, science and technology, and security: PM Modi
QuotePM Modi invites Israeli companies to take advantage of the liberalized FDI regime to make more in India with Indian companies
QuoteWe are working with Israel to make it easier for our people to work and visit each other’s countries, says PM Modi
QuoteThriving two-way trade and investment is an integral part of our vision for a strong partnership, says PM Modi during Joint press Statement with Israeli PM
QuoteIn Prime Minister Netanyahu, I have a counter-part who is equally committed to taking the India-Israel relationship to soaring new heights: PM Modi

Your Excellency Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,
Members of the media,

It is a great pleasure to welcome Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on his first ever visit to India.

(My good friend, Welcome to India!)

Your visit, Prime Minister, is a long-anticipated moment in the journey of friendship between India and Israel.

Your visit is also a fitting climax to the comemoration of 25 years of diplomatic relations between India and Israel.

As our first honoured guest in 2018, your visit marks a special beginning to our New Year calendar. It comes at an especially auspicious time as people all over India are rejoicing the arrival of spring, renewal, hope and harvest. The festivals of Lohri, Bihu, Makar Sankranti, and Pongal celebrate the splendour of India’s diversity and unity. 

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Friends,

Last year in July, I carried the greetings and friendship of 1.25 billion Indians during my momentous journey to Israel. In return, I was overwhelmed by the generous affection and warmth of the Israeli people, led by my friend, Bibi.

In that visit, Prime Minister Netanyahu and I promised each other and our people to build a strategic partnership: of hope and trust and progress of diverse and cutting-edge cooperation, and of joint endeavours and shared successes Such a promise flows as much from the natural affinity and friendship that have linked us for centuries as it does from the compelling win-win case for engagement in almost all spheres .

And it is a measure of our shared ambition and commitment that six short months after that visit; your extraordinary visit is taking place to India.

Today and yesterday, Prime Minister Netanyahu and I reviewed the progress in our relations and renewed our conversation on the possibilities and the opportunities that beckon us and need to be seized.

Our discussions were wide-ranging and intensive. They were marked by the desire to do more. Prime Minister, I have a reputation of being impatient in getting results.

If I may let out an open secret, I know that so are you.

Last year in Tel Aviv, you had expressed the intent to cut down bureaucratic red tape with a machete and forge ahead with speed.

Prime Minister, I am happy to tell you that in India, we are well on our way to doing just that. We have imparted our shared impatience to the implemntation of our earlier decisions.

The results are already visible on the ground. Our discussions today were marked by convergence to accelerate our engagement and to scale up our partnership.

We will pursue this in three ways:

  • First, we will strengthen the existing pillars of cooperation in areas that touch the lives of our peoples. These are agriculture, science and technology, and security.

    We exchanged views on scaling up the Centers of Excellence that have been a main-stay of agricultural cooperation by bringing in advanced Israeli practices and technology.

    In defence, I have invited Israeli companies to take advantage of the liberalized FDI regime to make more in India with our companies.
  • Second,

    we are venturing into less explored areas of cooperation, such as oil& gas, cyber security, films, and start-ups. You will find this reflected in the agreements that were just exchanged. Several of these areas are indicative of our desire to diversify and broad-base engagement.
  • And third,

    we are committed to facilitating the flow of people and ideas between our geographies. It requires policy facilitation, infrastructure and connectivity links and fostering constituencies of support beyond Government.

    We are working with Israel to make it easier for our people to work and visit each other’s countries, including for longer work durations To bring people closer on both sides, an Indian Cultural Center will soon open in Israel.

    We have also decided to start an annual exchange of bilateral visits by 100 young people from science-related educational streams.
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Friends,

Thriving two-way trade and investment is an integral part of our vision for a strong partnership. Prime Minister Netanyahu and I agreed on the need to do more in this direction. After the meeting in Tel Aviv last year, we will interact for the second time with our CEOs under the bilateral Forum.

I welcome the large business component that Prime Minister Netanyahu has brought along with him. Prime Minister Netanyahu and I also exchanged perspectives on the regional and global situation.

We reviewed our cooperation as a factor for stability and peace in our regions and the world.

Friends,

Yesterday, as his first stop after touching Indian soil, Prime Minister Netanyahu joined me at the re-named Teen Murti Haifa Chowk to pay homage to the memory of the brave Indian soldiers who laid down their lives a century ago in the Battle of Haifa in Israel.

We are both countries that have never forgotten our history and our heroes. And we deeply appreciate this gesture by Prime Minister Netanyahu.

As we look to the future of this exciting partnership with Israel, I am filled with hope and optimism. In Prime Minister Netanyahu, I have a counter-part who is equally committed to taking the India-Israel relationship to soaring new heights.

Finally, I am delighted to have the chance to be with you, Prime Minister , in my home state, Gujarat, day after.

There, we will have another opportunity to see the fulfillment of the promise, which our mutual cooperation holds in diverse areas such as agriculture, technology, and innovation.

I wish Prime Minister Netanyahu, Mrs. Netanyahu and the delegation a memorable stay in India.

Thank you very much. Toda Rabah!

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Cabinet approves two multitracking projects across Indian Railways covering various states
June 11, 2025
QuoteThese initiatives will improve travel convenience, reduce logistic cost, decrease oil imports and contribute to lower CO2 emissions, supporting sustainable and efficient rail operations
QuoteThe total estimated cost of the projects is Rs 6,405 crore
QuoteThe projects will generate direct employment for about 108 lakh human-days during construction

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved Two projects of Ministry of Railways with total cost of Rs. 6,405 crore. These projects include:

1. Koderma – Barkakana Doubling (133 Kms) – The project section passes through a major coal producing area of Jharkhand. Furthermore, it serves as the shortest and more efficient rail link between Patna and Ranchi.

2. Ballari – Chikjajur Doubling (185 kms.) – The project line traverses through Ballari and Chitradurga districts of Karnataka and Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh.

The increased line capacity will significantly enhance mobility, resulting in improved operational efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. These multi-tracking proposals are poised to streamline operations and alleviate congestion. The projects are in line with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji’s Vision of a New India which will make people of the region “Atmanirbhar” by way of comprehensive development in the area which will enhance their employment/ self-employment opportunities.

The projects are result of PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity which have been possible through integrated planning and will provide seamless connectivity for movement of people, goods and services.

The two projects covering seven Districts across the states of Jharkhand, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, will increase the existing network of Indian Railways by about 318 Kms.

The approved multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to approx. 1,408 villages, which are having a population of about 28.19 lakh.

These are essential routes for transportation of commodities such as coal, iron ore, finished steel, cement, fertilizers, agriculture commodities, and Petroleum products etc. The capacity augmentation works will result in additional freight traffic of magnitude 49 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum). The Railways being environment friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation, will help both in achieving climate goals and minimizing logistics cost of the country, reduce oil import (52 Crore Litres) and lower CO2 emissions (264 Crore Kg) which is equivalent to plantation of 11 Crore trees.