Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said there cannot be a better time to set new goals for taking forward India-Israel ties with the importance of the bilateral relationship having increased amid significant changes in the world order.

In a video message on the completion of 30 years of full-fledged diplomatic relations between India and Israel, PM Modi said, “This day holds importance in our relationship as full diplomatic ties were established between the two countries 30 years ago. A new chapter between the two countries had begun. It was a new chapter but history between us is age-old."

“For centuries, the Jewish community has stayed in India in a harmonious environment without any discrimination and has grown. It has made an important contribution in our development journey," he pointed out.

At a time when significant changes are taking place in the world, the importance of India-Israel ties has further increased, the Prime Minister said.

 There cannot be a better opportunity than now for setting new goals for mutual cooperation when India is marking 75 years of its independence, Israel will mark 75 years of its independence next year and the two countries are marking 30 years of their diplomatic ties, PM Modi observed.

 “On this important milestone of 30 years, I congratulate all. I am confident that India-Israel friendship will continue to set new records of mutual cooperation in the decades to come," he said.

Though India had recognised Israel on September 17, 1950, full-fledged diplomatic relations between the countries were established on January 29, 1992.

Since then, the bilateral relations between both countries have developed into a multifaceted strategic partnership which covers the defence sector.

Meanwhile, emphasising that “friendship and trust are not only positive traits but also real assets", External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid, in a joint article for a leading  Israeli newspaper on Friday, said the two countries have worked together to “deepen their roots" for the last three decades, delving together to find solutions to common challenges, including in the security sector. 

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