Jerusalem: National Security Adviser Ajit Doval has held talks with Israel’s top leadership here as part of preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s likely visit, the first by an Indian premier to the Jewish country.
Modi is expected to visit Israel by the middle of this year.
In preparation for Modi’s historical visit to Israel, Doval was on a two-day visit to the country.
He landed in Israel yesterday and called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Jerusalem office.
Doval also met his counterpart, Israel’s acting National Security Adviser and Head of the National Security Council, Brig. Gen. (retd) Jacob Nagel.
The discussions “revolved around Prime Minister Modi’s expected visit this summer”, officials here told PTI.
Doval left for India this morning.
Earlier this week, sources in the Ministry of External Affairs had indicated that the visit could take place somewhere around June.
Netanyahu is also likely to visit India this year.
The two nations are celebrating 25 years of diplomatic ties this year.
New Delhi formally recognised Israel on September 17, 1950. Embassies were opened in 1992 when full diplomatic relations were established.
Modi’s likely visit to Israel comes after a number of high-level bilateral visits in recent years. President Pranab Mukherjee visited Israel in October, 2015, followed by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s visit to the Jewish nation last year.
Last November, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin also visited India.
PTI
