Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his counterpart, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, spent most of the final day of Modi’s historic visit to Israel on Thursday (July 6) in the northern city of Haifa.
The two men went to Olga Beach, where Netanyahu drove Modi around in a jeep that was actually a Galmobile desalination unit, capable of supplying drinking water for 22,000 people per day.
The two prime ministers were briefed by the G.A.L. Ltd. managing director, and tasted water that had been desalinated on the spot.
While in Haifa, the prime ministers also flew by helicopter to the Indian War Cemetery within the British military cemetery, where India’s prime minister paid tribute to the 44 Indian soldiers who fought in World War I.
Earlier in the day they met with the CEOs of Israeli and Indian companies about the launch of an Israeli-Indian CEOs’ forum to be chaired by Manufacturers Association President Shraga Brosh.
A joint lunch followed the event, at which the CEOs presented their products. Afterwards they visited an innovation exhibit that included presentations by six Israeli companies and four Indian companies
“Innovation is life. Israel is the ‘innovation nation’ and so is India,” said Netanyahu. “Together we have tremendous potential, potential not only in markets but in creating new possibilities, new opportunities. We just saw this in crop protection or in water, the cleaning of water, or in energy, or in any field, in any field.
“My view is a simple one, and I know you share it. There is no difference between high technology and low technology. Everything will become technologized, just about everything. So those countries that excel in innovation will lead the world. We are making a partnership here, a real one, to excel in innovation for both our peoples and for the entire world.”
Modi departed the Jewish State late Thursday afternoon (July 6) on the next leg of his journey; he is scheduled to attend the G20 summit in Germany.