Israeli and Indian leaders meet for the first time in 11 years

The leaders of Israel and India met for the first time in 11 years at the United Nations this week, with Benjamin Netanyahu saying “the sky is the limit” in terms of bilateral relations.

Serenaded from arrival to departure, newly-elected Indian premier Narendra Modi was invited to Israel for a second time, following his first visit in 2006 when he was Chief Minister.

Trade between the two states has reached $6 billion annually, and the two leaders discussed further cooperation in defence as well as is IT and water management.

A spokesman from the Israeli prime minister’s office confirmed that Iran, terrorism and cyber security were also on the agenda, as Netanyahu pledged: “The sky is the limit” for Israeli-Indian relations.

While Israel has repeatedly lobbied for increased sanctions on Iran, India has continued to trade with the Islamic Republic, importing its oil despite Western pressure, such that trade between India and Iran last year topped $15 billion.

Before meeting Netanyahu, Modi met an influential American-Jewish group, emphasising his pride in India’s 2,000 year tradition of tolerance towards Jews.