In comments welcoming Indian Foreign Minister S M Krishna to Israel, President Shimon Peres said that Israel wants India to “become a permanent member of the Security Council.”
Peres also spoke of India as the “greatest democracy on earth,” and said that Israel was “following India with great care and interest.” Krishna returned the compliment, crediting Israel as inspiration to India in becoming more self-sufficient.
UPDATE: Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met with Foreign Minister Krishna and expressed his desire to see a Free Trade Agreement between Israel and India signed in the near future. Krishna said that he is in Israel to chart a map for the next twenty years of Israel-India relations, and spoke of Israel as a “natural ally” of India.