India, Israel to Sign Strategic Partnership to Ensure Food Safety

India and Israel will sign a unique Strategic Partnership on non-security issues including Agriculture, Water, Science, technology and Space, said Mark Sofer, Deputy Director General of the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s Asia Pacific department, the Hindu reported.

Key delegates from both countries are meeting in Tel Aviv this week to sign this agreement and discuss other issues.

“Strategic partnership means a lot of things… including first and foremost food security…. [India] needs to feed and provide sustenance in the form of water to its 1.3 billion people and this visit will be predicated on the relationship on issues we can cooperate on which will bring maximum benefits to people of both sides,” said Mr. Sofer, in reply to a question about why India and Israel were not signing a full-fledged strategic partnership, despite close defense ties.