New Delhi [India], February 12 (ANI): Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar on Thursday said India and Israel are set to fast-track negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), with a high-level Israeli delegation scheduled to arrive in New Delhi in late February.
Speaking to ANI about strengthening bilateral ties, Ambassador Azar said the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the agreement were signed during Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s visit last year.
“At the end of February, actually two weeks from now, we plan to have a round of negotiations. A delegation from Israel will come to India to engage. We are thinking of having this in two stages, to first concentrate on the sort of low-hanging fruit and then go to the tougher issues,” Azar said.
He added that the intention is to finalize the deal within the year, noting India’s recent success in signing agreements with major global markets, including the EU, UAE, and Australia. India and Israel formally signed the ToR to begin negotiations for an FTA in November 2025.
Addressing ongoing regional tensions, the ambassador emphasized the need for de-radicalization and implementation of a 20-point plan in Gaza. He expressed hope that diplomacy would prevail and that Hamas would fulfill commitments made in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh to demilitarize.
“India can play a major role because India is the fastest-growing economy today in the world and has a lot of opportunities to offer to all the players in our region, whether it be Israel or the Arab countries,” he told ANI.
Commenting on the recent meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, Azar highlighted a shared focus on neutralizing threats posed by the Iranian regime.
“The general interest of Israel is to make sure that all the elements in the plan that the radical regime in Iran had to exterminate the State of Israel, that all the elements of that plan are neutralized. This includes the nuclear program, the ballistic missile program, and the assistance of Iran to their proxies,” Azar said.
He further asserted that while diplomacy is preferred, the United States is building military capabilities to signal that “enough is enough” regarding Iran’s history of “stalling and deceiving” the international community.
While a formal announcement is still pending, the ambassador expressed high expectations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Israel. He confirmed that professional teams from both sides are working to ensure the visit delivers “maximum possible benefit.”
The two nations are currently engaging at a professional level to enhance defense industry cooperation and streamline financial partnerships in high-tech sectors, with a focus on AI, quantum technology, and cybersecurity. The visit is also expected to strengthen long-standing collaboration in transportation, agriculture, water management, and other sectors.
“We hope that the visit happens as soon as possible,” Azar said, underscoring the shift toward a more technologically integrated partnership between the two countries. (ANI)
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