New Delhi
10 July 2005
If recent bilateral contacts are any indicator, there appears to be a
convergence of opinion between India and Israel on accelerating the existing level of
collaboration in science and technology and enlarging the scope of bilateral cooperation
beyond defence ventures, arms sales and weaponry to include other areas of mutual
interest like agro technologies.
Tel Aviv is understood to have offered to share its expertise with New Delhi in managing
water resources. This would prove useful for drought-prone areas or regions where
rainfall is scanty and farming activity cannot be undertaken on a large scale. Israel, for
the record, receives an average rainfall of only 250 mm. The two countries have also
agreed in principle to the idea of setting up a corpus of one million dollars each every
year to fund collaborative efforts in biotechnology and nanotechnology.
Soon after Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal returned from
Israel, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy toured that country
recently to seek cooperation in water management and food processing. Full bilateral
diplomatic relations between New Delhi and Tel Aviv were established on January 29,
1992 and ministerial visits since then have strengthened the ties.
Owing to adoption of latest technology in farm sector which requires less water, the per
hectare productivity in Israel is very high as compared to India. The total arable land in
Israel is less than in India (only 16 per cent of land is available for cultivation in Israel)
but the productivity is higher compared to India. Lack of adequate technology post-
harvest was also coming in the way of boosting farm exports. Technology-sharing
between the two countries in this sector is expected to give a much-needed fillip to
Indian trade in horticulture.
An Israeli company has been invited to suggest ways to meet the increasing demand for
water in cities through desalination, recycling or sewage treatment. Already the company
is undertaking works in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Andhra Pradesh
is likely to soon the join list of states collaborating with the Israeli firm.
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