Brief Context
In News India and Israel signed a Comprehensive Agriculture Agreement to boost bilateral cooperation in agriculture, food security, and the modernization of farming practices. About The agreement explicitly mentions areas like soil and water management, horticultural and agricultural production, post-harvest and processing technology, agriculture mechanisation, animal husbandry, and research and development. Centres of Excellence Recognition: India praises the 43 Centres of Excellence and highli
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Syllabus: GS2/ IR, GS3/ Agriculture
In News
- India and Israel signed a Comprehensive Agriculture Agreement to boost bilateral cooperation in agriculture, food security, and the modernization of farming practices.
About
- Key Focus Areas:
- The agreement explicitly mentions areas like soil and water management, horticultural and agricultural production, post-harvest and processing technology, agriculture mechanisation, animal husbandry, and research and development.
- Centres of Excellence Recognition: India praises the 43 Centres of Excellence and highlights their pivotal role in the success of the agricultural projects.
- Five-Year Seed Improvement Plan: The discussion between both nations on a five-year seed improvement plan marks a significant new development.
- Global Commitments and Future Prospects:
- India reaffirmed commitment to Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (“the world is one family”) underlining India’s commitment to:
- Global agricultural partnerships
- Climate-smart solutions
- Israeli delegation invited to World Food India 2025
- India reaffirmed commitment to Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (“the world is one family”) underlining India’s commitment to:
Background
- India and Israel share a deep-rooted partnership in agriculture, formalized through various Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and Joint Working Groups over the past two decades.
- Indo-Israel Agricultural Project (IIAP) was launched in 2006 for providing training to farmers, demonstrations of modern farming techniques & opting best practices in horticulture (e.g., drip irrigation, precision farming).
Why is Israel a Key Partner for India in Agriculture?
- Israel is globally renowned for transforming arid land into green productive zones using:
- Drip and micro-irrigation systems
- Soil-less agriculture and hydroponics
- Greenhouse and polyhouse technologies
- Advanced agro-automation and remote sensing
- These innovations align with India’s goals of:
- Enhancing water-use efficiency (under PM-Krishi Sinchayee Yojana)
- Promoting sustainable agriculture
- Supporting small and marginal farmers (who form over 85% of the farming population)
| India-Israel Bilateral Cooperation Historical Ties: – Began during Sino-India War (1962); Israel provided India arms support again during 1965 Indo-Pak war – Israel was among the few nations not to condemn India’s Pokhran-II nuclear tests (1998) Economic Relations: – Trade Volume (2024): Over $5.65 billion (excluding defence) India is Israel’s 3rd largest trade partner in Asia – Major trade: Major exported items from India to Israel include Gems and Jewelry (US$ 351.56 million); followed by engineering goods (US$ 241.02 million), and electronic goods (US$ 97.50 million). – I4F Fund (Israel-India Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund): Established with a joint contribution of $40 million over five years, I4F supports collaborative R&D projects. Defence Cooperation: – Israel is among India’s top four arms suppliers – India imports: 1. Phalcon AWACS, Heron/Searcher drones 2. Barak missile systems, Spyder SAMs 3. Precision-guided bombs like Spice-2000, Crystal Maze – Defence deals touch $1 billion/year – Recent Developments: In January 2025, the Indian Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited for the supply of over 70 Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (MRSAM) for the Indian Navy, valued at approximately $400 million. |
Source: TH