Syllabus: GS2/ IR, GS3/ Agriculture
In News
- India and Israel signed a Comprehensive Agriculture Agreement to boost bilateral cooperation in agriculture, food security, and the modernization of farming practices.
About
- Key Focus Areas:
- The agreement explicitly mentions areas like soil and water management, horticultural and agricultural production, post-harvest and processing technology, agriculture mechanisation, animal husbandry, and research and development.
- Centres of Excellence Recognition: India praises the 43 Centres of Excellence and highlights their pivotal role in the success of the agricultural projects.
- Five-Year Seed Improvement Plan: The discussion between both nations on a five-year seed improvement plan marks a significant new development.
- Global Commitments and Future Prospects:
- India reaffirmed commitment to Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (“the world is one family”) underlining India’s commitment to:
- Global agricultural partnerships
- Climate-smart solutions
- Israeli delegation invited to World Food India 2025
- India reaffirmed commitment to Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (“the world is one family”) underlining India’s commitment to:
Background
- India and Israel share a deep-rooted partnership in agriculture, formalized through various Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and Joint Working Groups over the past two decades.
- Indo-Israel Agricultural Project (IIAP) was launched in 2006 for providing training to farmers, demonstrations of modern farming techniques & opting best practices in horticulture (e.g., drip irrigation, precision farming).
Why is Israel a Key Partner for India in Agriculture?
- Israel is globally renowned for transforming arid land into green productive zones using:
- Drip and micro-irrigation systems
- Soil-less agriculture and hydroponics
- Greenhouse and polyhouse technologies
- Advanced agro-automation and remote sensing
- These innovations align with India’s goals of:
- Enhancing water-use efficiency (under PM-Krishi Sinchayee Yojana)
- Promoting sustainable agriculture
- Supporting small and marginal farmers (who form over 85% of the farming population)
| India-Israel Bilateral Cooperation Historical Ties: – Began during Sino-India War (1962); Israel provided India arms support again during 1965 Indo-Pak war – Israel was among the few nations not to condemn India’s Pokhran-II nuclear tests (1998) Economic Relations: – Trade Volume (2024): Over $5.65 billion (excluding defence) India is Israel’s 3rd largest trade partner in Asia – Major trade: Major exported items from India to Israel include Gems and Jewelry (US$ 351.56 million); followed by engineering goods (US$ 241.02 million), and electronic goods (US$ 97.50 million). – I4F Fund (Israel-India Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund): Established with a joint contribution of $40 million over five years, I4F supports collaborative R&D projects. Defence Cooperation: – Israel is among India’s top four arms suppliers – India imports: 1. Phalcon AWACS, Heron/Searcher drones 2. Barak missile systems, Spyder SAMs 3. Precision-guided bombs like Spice-2000, Crystal Maze – Defence deals touch $1 billion/year – Recent Developments: In January 2025, the Indian Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited for the supply of over 70 Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (MRSAM) for the Indian Navy, valued at approximately $400 million. |
Source: TH
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