‘Israel seeks greater engagement with India on big data, tech, healthcare’

Israel wants India to play a greater role in the emerging strategic landscape in the Middle East, with its own transformed relationship with the Arab world.

On the eve of foreign minister S Jaishankar’s visit to Israel, Alon Ushpiz, foreign secretary of Israel, sat down for an exclusive chat with TOI.“We want very much to look into, how can the new situation in the Middle East have an Indian angle to it? How can we incorporate India into the opportunities that are emerging? Normally this region is flooded with threats and challenges. But in the last year, I have seen the dramatically changed landscape in the Middle East because of the Abraham Accords. This is really a strategic earthquake.”

This is India’s first high-level engagement with the Naftali Bennett government in Jerusalem, therefore a visit that will be closely watched in Israel. India, particularly Modi, enjoyed an unprecedented relationship with former PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, and the signals from the visit will be a pointer to the future of one of the closest relationships in the world. Therefore the Jaishankar-Yair Lapid discussions would be significant.

Interestingly, Ushpij said, while no one in the Quad had contacted Israel, they would like to engage “with anyone” on the Quad focus areas of vaccines, emerging technology, climate change, and security. “We would be happy to engage in any dialogue in these areas. I would be very happy to deepen our cooperation with India on all these issues. But… none of the Quad has knocked on our door. ”

Ushpij said that the next frontier of the bilateral relationship lies in Big Data, technology, health care, and communication.

“We don’t have the luxury of missing out when it comes to technology—AI, quantum computing, big data, cyber—all things that can be part of our security collaboration and economic prosperity, but also provide security. And stability for our people.”

“We have to be very strict, keep our eyes on the ball when it comes to new areas of technology. There is no doubt in my mind that technology can easily decide the economic fortunes of nations,” Ushpij said.

Iran will remain a challenging destination for both countries. Ushpiz said that Iran is “very determined to have a nuclear capability, which I think they have not given up, which I believe they want to take forward as quickly as possible, which we believe they will make every promise.” in violation of what they have done and every paper that they have signed.

Unfortunately, in their mind, in the mind of the Iranians, they do not see a strong and strong reaction from the international community. ”

India, on the other hand, is doubling down on Iran, especially in the context of the latest security challenges emerging from Afghanistan.

source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/