New Delhi, Oct 16 (KNN)  President of India, Pranab Mukherjee upon the conclusion of his State visit to Jordan, Palestine and Israel from October 10 to 15 said that India will actively work towards enhancing partnership with the three middle eastern countries in the days to come.

“These visits have helped deepen our mutually beneficial relations. I return with the conviction that the governments of all the three countries are keen to take relations with India to much higher levels,” he said in media release.

The visits, the first ever by an Indian President were intended to explore possibilities of enhanced cooperation in bilateral, regional and international context. 

Considering that Israel had provided defence equipment, platforms and systems at a time when India needed them the most, the country was important for India.  The President therefore conveyed the need for the two countries to reinvigorate bilateral ties in all areas of engagement.
 
The heads of both the countries discussed the need to expand cooperation in solar energy, dairy development, water management, horticulture, animal husbandry and agriculture as well as cooperation between Indian Space Research Organization and Israeli Space Agency.

PM Netanyahu and President Mukherjee discussed new possibilities and synergies to diversify trade as well as mutual investments.

In all, two agreements were signed between the Governments and eight MoUs exchanged between educational institutions of India and Israel. These will promote cooperation in the field of higher education between the two countries and provide for joint research, exchange of scholars, etc. 

In Jordan, possibilities were explored for opening up new synergies in different areas of mutual interest including counter terrorism, defence, IT, and energy.  King Abdullah II expressed his keen desire to encourage Indian companies to work with the Jordanian ICT companies.  As many as 16 MoUs and agreements, including between academic institutions were finalised.

While there, the President inaugurated a USD 860 million project of Jordan-India Fertilizer Co., a joint venture between IFFCO and the Jordan Phosphate Mines Company to produce phosphoric acid for export to India.  King Abdullah II expressed willingness to enter into long-term arrangements for supply of phosphates to India from Jordan as well as establish more JVs to meet demand of phosphoric acid, rock phosphate and DAP.

The President also announced a Line of Credit of USD 100 million to Jordan as Project Assistance and increase of the number of ITEC (Indian technical and economic cooperation) slots from 30 to 50.

During his visit to Palestine, the President announced increase of ICCR scholarships from 10 to 25 per annum and ITEC slots from 50 to 100 for Palestine.  He also handed over a cheque worth USD 5 million as budgetary support to the Palestinian authority. 

The President also inaugurated the India-Palestine Centre for Excellence in ICT in the Al Quds University and announced India’s decision to build one more India-Palestine Centre for Excellence in ICT in Gaza with similar aims and objectives at an estimated cost of USD 1 million.   He conveyed India’s decision to set up an IT park in Ramallah at an estimated cost of USD 12 million and a Palestinian Institute of Diplomacy at an estimated cost of USD 4.5 million. 

The India-Palestine Higher Education Roundtable was held between premier institutions of the two countries and establishment of an Indian Chair in Al Quds University announced. In all, six MOUs and Agreements were signed during the visit.  (KNN Bureau)