Israeli President Reuven Rivlin. Photo: Twitter.

JNS.org – Israeli President Reuven Rivlin met in New Delhi with the heads of Israel’s defense sector operations in India while on an official state trip to the South Asian nation.

Rivlin was briefed on the defense companies’ activities and the challenges they face in India.

At a joint Israel-India Innovative Partnership seminar Thursday, Rivlin said, “In the last two years, trade relations between Israel and India have increased remarkably.”

He added, “This growth is the source of mutual pride. The trade in our country is in a state of constant growth, with revenue in excess of $2 billion each year. [Our] partnership in industry and trade includes an increasing amount of goods and knowledge, from water to communications services, from optics to iron, from defense and aviation to diamonds, textile, chemicals and medical equipment. I came here to clearly state…India is our most important trade partner.”

Shraga Brosh, president of the Manufacturers Association of Israel and the head of the special Israeli economic delegation in India, also praised ties between the countries. He said that he and his Indian counterpart agreed “to work to triple trade and cooperation between the two countries in coming years.”