Beirut, Apr 22: Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday urged India to further deepen bilateral ties by working together on geostrategic issues, especially emphasising on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) project, which he described as the “future of the world”.“We have a huge respect for the nation of India and its leadership. Israelis love your country. I can only anxiously wait to visit your country and host your President and Prime Minister in Israel,” Herzog told India’s newly appointed Ambassador to Israel J P Singh, who presented his credentials at a ceremony at the President’s Official residence.
“I wish you great success in your term. We can only go from height to height,” the Israeli President said, welcoming India’s new envoy.
He urged India and Israel “to work together on the geostrategic issues, on the strategic issues, getting the hostages back home, preventing Iran (from acquiring nuclear weapons), moving towards peace and inclusion, connectivity and of course enhancing the incredible relations between our people”.
Touching upon areas of cooperation between the two countries, Herzog described the IMEC as the “future of the world”, which has the potential to change the entire geostrategic situation of the globe.
“I think your greatest role will be the IMEC. IMEC is the future of the world, not only the region. The connectivity between Israel and India will change the geostrategic situation in Europe, the United States, the Far East, and Australia. It’s up to you, and I am here to help you,” he said.
The IMEC project was announced during the New Delhi G20 summit in 2023 as a project to link infrastructure from India to Europe, connecting Asia through the Middle East to Europe, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had dubbed as the “largest cooperation project in our history” that will “change the face of the Middle East, Israel, and will affect the entire world”.
During the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Washington in February, US President Donald Trump said he agreed with the Indian leader to enhance the scope of the project, linking it right up to America.
Singh emphasised the strategic partnership between India and Israel, noting that they had stood by each other in the hour of crisis.