Israeli PM Benjamin netanyahu and PM Modi during Raisina Dialogue in Delhi. (Sourcfe: twitter/ANI)
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on a six-day visit to India, on Tuesday visited Agra along with his wife Sara to see the iconic Taj Mahal. The Israeli Prime Minister and his wife Sara were welcomed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Soon after, the Netanyahu couple and the delegation accompanying them drove to the Amar Vilas hotel in the Taj city, reports IANS.
Netanyahu and his wife then drove to the Taj Mahal where they are to spend more than an hour, a district official informed IANS. Tight security arrangements have been made for the VVIP visit and the Taj, the ivory white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna, will be closed for common visitors till the Israeli prime minister leaves.
On day two of his visit, Netanyahu held bilateral talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Following the delegate-level talks, the two sides inked nine pacts in various sectors including oil and gas, amended protocol for airports, and cybersecurity, among others, sources told The Indian Express.
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It should be noted that Netanyahu is the first Israeli PM in 15 years to visit India.
Benjamin Netanyahu in India LIVE updates:
7:34 pm: The Raisina Dialogue is a multilateral conference committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community. Notable speakers at the three days event include COAS General Bipin Rawat, EAM Sushma Swaraj, Shashi Tharoor, Admiral Sunil Lanba and others.
7:27 pm: PM Netanyahu and UP CM Adityanath met during the former’s visit to the Taj Mahal at Agra during the day.
7:23 pm: A lot of issues especially the exchange of technology in agriculture, irrigation, water & waste management in urban areas & other sectors were discussed, says UP CM Yogi Adityanath.
7:17 pm: In his speech, Netanyahu said that India is one of the world’s most populous democracies, it shows humanity can be governed with the freedom that we can secure by rights of people, ability to think, speak and believe what we want. Indian society is pluralistic and diverse, free like Israel. Democracy is the most important value.
7:13 pm: MEA Sushma Swaraj delivers the vote of thanks at Raisina Dialogue, talks about India-Israel relations.
7:11 pm: Netanyahu thanks, PM Modi for allowing to bring Israel to India and taking India to Israel. Hails India Israel alliance at Raisina Dialogue.
7:07 pm: If you want to be an economic power, you must reduce and simplify taxes and must cut bureaucracy. The main job of both India and Israel is to cut this bureaucracy so the firms can go on with their business of doing business: Israel PM
7:06 pm: The value of democracy between India and Israel bounds us the most, says Netanyahu at Raisina Dialogue.
7:04 pm: Praising PM Modi, Netanyahu says “I was astounded to know that PM Modi has moved India in the scale of ease of doing business 42 places in three years.”
7:03 pm: Military, Economic, Political and power of values and traditions bound India and Israel together, says Benjamin Netanyahu.
7:02 pm: The weak don’t survive, the strong survive, you make alliances with the strong, you are able to maintain peace by being strong. So, therefore the first requirement from our the time of our first PM was to achieve minimal strength required to assure existence: Netanyahu
6:57 pm: Benjamin Netanyahu talks about education and the Israeli Defence Force where young people are taught and trained.
6:55 pm: PM Modi and his Israeli counterpart are attending the Raisina Dialogue being organised in Delhi after the two returned to the national capital after fulfilling their day’s engagements.
6:11 pm: The Israeli PM thanked the Indian PM for allowing him a visit to the ‘temple of love’.
5:52 pm: Israeli PM Netanyahu thanked his Indian counterpart while visiting the Taj Mahal on Monday. netanyahu tweeted in Hebrew.
3:38 pm: The Israeli leader was accomopanied by his wife Sara netanyahu to the Taj Mahal.
2:54 pm: The jeep is said to cost around 390,000 shekels (approximately $111,000) and can purify purify up to 20,000 litres per day of sea water and 80,000 litres per day of brackish/muddy or contaminated river water and bring it to WHO standards.
2:53 pm: Visiting Israeli Prime Minister will present his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi a special gift – the Gal-Mobile water desalinisation and purification jeep, reported PTI.
1:50 pm: Netanyahu will now leave for New Delhi by the evening in order to inaugurate the 3rd annual Raisina Dialogue, where he is scheduled to deliver a speech. The Raisina Dialogue is India’s premiere foreign policy and geo-political conference. Prime Minister Netanyahu will be the first foreign head of government to speak at the Raisina Dialogue.
The Raisina Dialogue is jointly organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Observer Research Foundation, and will take place at the Taj Palace Hotel in Delhi’s diplomatic enclave. The theme of the Raisina Dialogue this year is ‘Managing Disruptive Transitions: Ideas, Institutions and Idioms’.
1:40 pm: Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara visit the iconic Taj Mahal, reports IANS. Soon after, the Netanyahu couple and the delegation accompanying them drove to the Amar Vilas hotel in the Taj city.
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12:00 pm: Benjamin Netanyahu and wife Sara in Agra, received by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and wife Sara in Agra, received by CM Yogi Adityanath. #NetanyahuInIndia pic.twitter.com/fjgBHpGno4
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 16, 2018
11:55 am: Moshe Holtzberg (Baby Moshe) arrives at Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai. During his visit, Moshe will unveil a ‘live memorial’ for the victims of the 26/11 terror attacks at Chabad House. The 11-year-old is also keen on visiting the Taj and the Gateway of India.
Moshe Holtzberg (Baby Moshe) arrives at Taj Mahal hotel in #Mumbai pic.twitter.com/xqc7l5TYN5
— ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2018
11:05 am: After his visit to Taj Mahal, Netanyahu will return to New Delhi where he will inaugurate Raisina Dialogue 2018, themed on ‘Managing Disruptive Transitions: Ideas, Institutions & Idioms’, in presence of PM Modi. Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and ORF Chairman Sunjoy Joshi will also be part of the inaugural session of this annual geo-political event, organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and Observer Research Foundation (ORF).
He will leave for Ahmedabad on Wednesday and visit Sabarmati Ashram. The Israeli PM will also attend an event at the International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology (iCreate). He will later visit the Centre of Excellence, Vadrad. On the same day, the minister will leave for Mumbai.
10:10 am: Preparation in full swing in Agra as Netanyahu set to visit Taj Mahal.
#Visuals from Agra ahead of Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visit to Taj Mahal today #NetanyahuInIndia pic.twitter.com/BCUcCGwBSG
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 16, 2018
9:45 am: Moshe Holtzberg, who lost his parents during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, arrived in Mumbai this morning to visit the Nariman House for the first time since the tragedy struck the family more than nine years ago.
Moshe Holtzberg(Baby Moshe), who lost his parents in the 26/11 terror attacks, arrives in Mumbai again pic.twitter.com/W3U7jL6ZLF
— ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2018
8:15 am: Moshe arrived this morning from Tel Aviv and landed at the Mumbai airport at around 8.15 am. Moshe was just two years old when his parents – Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and Rivika – were killed during the siege at the Nariman House by 10 Pakistani terrorists in November 2008.READ MORE
The Israeli PM is accompanied by his wife Sara and a 130-member delegation from various sectors, including cyber, agriculture and defence.