00:34His Excellency, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, His Excellency, Mr. Aamir Ohana, Speaker of the Message,
00:53His Excellency, Mr. Aamir Lapid, Leader of Opposition, Honourable Members of the Kadesh,
01:08my dear sisters and brothers, Shalom.
01:18Namaste.
01:24Honourable Members, it is a privilege and an honour for me to stand before this distinguished
01:38house.
01:41I do so as the Prime Minister of India and also as a representative of one ancient civilization
01:55addressing another.
02:01I bring with me the greetings of 1.4 billion Indians and a message of friendship, respect and partnership.
02:22I thank you, Mr. Speaker, for your kind invitation.
02:33And for your wonderful gesture of lighting up the Knesset in Indian colors.
02:44Your visit to India three years ago was the first by a speaker of the Knesset.
02:55And thanks to you, I am the first Prime Minister of India to address this August gathering.
03:08Nine years ago, I had the good fortune to be the first Prime Minister of India to visit Israel.
03:21And I am very happy to be here again, returning to a land to which I have always felt drawn.
03:33After all, I was born on the same day that India formally recognized Israel, September 17, 1950.
04:00Honourable Members, I also carry with me the deepest condolences of the people of India for every
04:15life lost and for every family whose world was shattered in the barbaric terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7th.
04:32We feel your pain.
04:39We share your grief.
04:44India stands with Israel firmly with full conviction in this moment and beyond.
05:24No cause can justify the murder of civilians.
05:33Nothing can justify terrorism.
05:38India has also endured the pain of terrorism for a long time.
05:46We remember the 2611 Mumbai attacks and the innocent lives lost including Israeli citizens like you.
06:05We know we have consistent and uncompromising policy of zero tolerance for terrorism with no double standards.
06:25Terrorism aims to destabilize society to block development and to erode trust.
06:38countering terrorism requires sustained and coordinated global action because terror anywhere threatens peace everywhere.
06:58That is why India supports all efforts that contribute to durable peace and regional stability.
07:14Some years ago, when you concluded the Abraham Accords, we applauded your courage and vision.
07:31It was a moment of new hope for a long troubled region.
07:41Since then, the situation has changed significantly.
07:49The path is even more challenging.
07:54Yet, it is important to sustain that hope.
08:03The Gaza peace initiative that was endorsed by the UN Security Council offers a pathway.
08:17Today, India has expressed its firm support for the initiative.
08:24We believe that it holds the promise of a just and durable peace for all the people of the region.
08:39The Palestine, including by addressing the Palestine issue.
08:47Let all our efforts be guided by wisdom, courage and humanity.
08:58The road to peace is not always easy.
09:03But India joins you and the world for dialogue, peace and stability in this region.
09:16Honourable members in India, there is a great admiration for Israel's resolve, courage and achievements.
09:35Long before we related to each other, as modern states, we were linked by ties that go back more than
09:502,000 years.
09:53The book of Esther refers to India as Hodu.
10:00The Talmud records trade with India in ancient times.
10:08Jewish merchants travel across sea routes that connected the Mediterranean with the Indian Ocean.
10:20They came seeking opportunity and dignity.
10:25And in India, they became one of us.
10:34Jewish communities have lived in India without fear of persecution or discrimination.
10:47They have preserved their faiths and participated fully in society.
10:56That record is a source of pride for us.
11:02Honourable members, the Bene Israel of Maharashtra, the Cochini Jews of Kerala, the Baghdadi Jews of Kolkata and Mumbai,
11:17and the Bene Menashe of the Northeast have enriched India.
11:24In my home state, Gujarat, there is a school set up by a Bene Israeli family, Mr. and Mrs. Best.
11:38It is an excellent school, and of course, it is called the Best School.
11:53Edwin Myers gave shape to the film's division of India and was towering figure in the history of Indian cinema.
12:07Dr. Rubin Davies was the founder of the Kangariya Jew in Ahmedabad.
12:16The actor David Abraham Chowdkar or Uncle David become a household name across the country.
12:32Walter Kaufman composed the signature tune for All India Radio.
12:41David Sassoon built many institutions that still serve Indian society.
12:50And of course, the heroic contribution of Lieutenant General J.F.R. Jacob during the 1970 war with Pakistan is
13:07widely known.
13:15I had the honor of working closely with him after his retirement.
13:24We discussed India-Israel relations, among many other things, over many cups of tea.
13:35There have been countless others, whose contributions are woven into India's rich fabric of life.
13:49Honorable members, there was movement from India to Israel too,
13:57when many Indian Jews migrated to Israel in the mid-20th century.
14:08Today, a vibrant Indian-origin Jewish community lives here.
14:16They are contributed to the building of modern Israel in laboratories and hospitals.
14:27in classrooms and also on the battlefields.
14:33They hold firmly that Israel is their fatherland and India their motherland.
14:55We are proud of them.
14:59Honorable members,
15:02India's connection to this land
15:05is also written
15:08in blood
15:10and sacrifice.
15:13During the First World War,
15:17more than 4,000 Indian soldiers
15:21laid down their lives
15:24in this region.
15:27The cavalry charge
15:30at Haifa
15:32in September 1918
15:35remains
15:37remains
15:38a significant chapter
15:40in military history.
15:45Major Thakur Dalpat Singh
15:47remembered
15:50that the hero of Haifa
15:52symbolized
15:55the shared history.
15:58during my last visit,
16:01during my last visit,
16:02I was deeply moved
16:04to pay my respect
16:06at the Haifa Memorial
16:08for Indian soldiers.
16:12Honorable members,
16:14Honorable members,
16:15Honorable members,
16:16last month,
16:18the world marked the
16:20international
16:22Holocaust
16:23remembrance
16:24day.
16:26The Holocaust
16:28stands
16:29as one of
16:32humanity's
16:33darkest chapters.
16:34Eighth.
16:37Even
16:38in
16:39those
16:40turbulent
16:41years,
16:43some acts
16:44of humanity
16:45stood out.
16:48The Maharaja
16:49of Navanagar
16:52in Gujarat,
16:54also known as
16:56the
16:57Jam Sahib
16:59offered,
17:02refused to
17:03police
17:05children,
17:05including
17:06Jewish
17:07children,
17:08who had
17:09nowhere else
17:10to turn.
17:11I am
17:12told
17:13that
17:14a statue
17:15of Jam Sahib
17:16was unveiled
17:18in
17:19Moshav
17:20Nevatim
17:21recently.
17:26Thank you
17:27for this
17:28honor
17:29and
17:30remembrance.
17:33honorable
17:34members,
17:36after
17:37India's
17:38independence,
17:40many
17:41Indian
17:42leaders
17:42felt
17:44a
17:45kinship
17:46with the
17:47people of
17:47Israel.
17:50India's
17:51parliamentary
17:52debates
17:53of the
17:551950s
17:56are
17:57witness
17:57to their
17:59admiration
18:00for
18:01Israel's
18:02effort to
18:03develop
18:03agriculture
18:04in the
18:05desert.
18:06The
18:07kibbutz
18:08movement of
18:09Israel
18:10inspired
18:12our leaders
18:12like
18:13Acharya
18:13Vinova
18:14Bhave,
18:15and
18:15Lopanaya
18:16Jai Prakash
18:17Narayan.
18:19First in my
18:20home state,
18:21Gujarat,
18:22and now
18:23across India,
18:25I have seen
18:26the approach
18:29of
18:29per drop,
18:32more crop
18:32work wonders
18:34in agriculture.
18:37my own
18:38first visit
18:39to
18:39Israel was
18:40in 2006
18:41at the
18:43chief
18:43of Gujarat.
18:45Later
18:46in
18:462017
18:47during
18:49my visit
18:49to Israel
18:50as
18:51Prime Minister,
18:53our
18:54two
18:54countries
18:55elevated
18:55the
18:56relationship
18:56to a
18:58strategic
18:58partnership.
19:01Since
19:02then,
19:03our
19:04engagement
19:05has
19:06expanded
19:07in
19:08scale
19:09and
19:10scope,
19:12and
19:12we
19:14are
19:14committed
19:15to
19:15further
19:15consolidate
19:19this
19:19relationship
19:21across
19:22many
19:23sectors.
19:28Honourable
19:29members,
19:31for the
19:32last few
19:32years,
19:34India
19:35has been
19:36the
19:37fastest
19:38growing
19:39major
19:39economy
19:40in the
19:40world.
19:42Soon
19:43we
19:45will be
19:45among
19:47the
19:47top
19:48three
19:48economies
19:49globally.
19:56at the
19:57same time,
19:59Israel
20:01is a
20:02powerhouse
20:03of
20:04innovation
20:05and
20:07technological
20:08leadership.
20:08policy.
20:12This
20:13creates a
20:14natural
20:15foundation
20:16for
20:17our
20:18forward-looking
20:19partnership.
20:21We
20:22are
20:22committed
20:23to
20:23expanding
20:24trade,
20:26strengthening
20:26investment
20:27flows
20:28and
20:29promoting
20:31joint
20:32infrastructure
20:32development.
20:34bilateral
20:35investment
20:37treaty
20:37signed
20:39last year
20:40will
20:41provide
20:41confidence
20:42and
20:43predictability
20:44to
20:45our
20:45businesses.
20:47In the
20:48last few
20:49years,
20:50India
20:51has concluded
20:52a number
20:54of important
20:55trade agreements
20:56with other
20:58nations.
20:58countries.
21:00To
21:01your
21:01West,
21:02the
21:03European
21:03Union
21:05and the
21:06UK.
21:07To
21:08your East,
21:09the
21:09UAE
21:10and
21:11Oman.
21:12Our
21:13bilateral
21:14goods
21:15trade
21:15has grown
21:16significantly
21:18in recent
21:19years,
21:20but
21:22it does
21:23not
21:23reflect
21:24the full
21:25scope
21:26opportunity.
21:28That
21:29is
21:29why
21:30our
21:31teams
21:31are
21:32working
21:32hard
21:33to
21:33negotiate
21:33an
21:35ambitious
21:36free trade
21:36agreement.
21:38It
21:39will
21:39unlock
21:40the
21:41vast
21:42untapped
21:42potential
21:43in our
21:45trade
21:45relationship.
21:46We
21:48will also
21:48work
21:49closely
21:49in
21:49different
21:50forms,
21:51such as
21:54India
21:55Middle
21:55East
21:56Europe
21:57Economic
21:58Corridor
22:00and
22:01the
22:03I2
22:03U2
22:04framework
22:05between
22:05India,
22:06Israel,
22:07UAE,
22:08and the
22:08US.
22:11Defense
22:11and security
22:13is
22:14another
22:15important
22:15pillar
22:16of our
22:16partnership.
22:18In
22:19November
22:19last year,
22:21we
22:22signed
22:22an
22:23MOU
22:23on
22:24defense
22:25cooperation.
22:27In
22:28today's
22:28uncentred
22:29world,
22:31a strong
22:32defense
22:33partnership
22:34between
22:35trusted
22:36partners
22:37like India
22:38and Israel
22:39is of
22:41vital
22:41importance.
22:43Honorable
22:44members,
22:46Israel
22:47is often
22:48called
22:48the
22:49start-up
22:50nation.
22:51In
22:52recent years,
22:54we have
22:55also been
22:56working to
22:56unlock
22:57the innovation
22:59and
23:00creativity
23:01of
23:02our youth.
23:03I
23:05recall that
23:05in
23:072018,
23:10Prime
23:11Mr.
23:11Netanyahu
23:12and I
23:14inaugurated
23:15the
23:16I
23:17create
23:17technology
23:18business
23:19incubator
23:20in India.
23:21Since
23:22then,
23:23it has
23:24supported
23:25nearly
23:26900
23:27such
23:28start-ups.
23:29Last
23:30week,
23:30we hosted
23:32the
23:33world's
23:34largest
23:35and the
23:36most
23:37democratized
23:38AI impact
23:39summit
23:40with
23:41representatives
23:42from over
23:43100
23:44countries.
23:46Our
23:47aspiration
23:48spirit
23:49aligns
23:51naturally
23:52with
23:53Israel's
23:54innovation
23:54ecosystem.
23:56I
23:57see
23:58a lot
23:59of
24:00synergies
24:01in
24:02areas
24:02such
24:03as
24:03quantum
24:05technologies,
24:07semiconductors
24:09and
24:09artificial
24:10intelligence.
24:12We
24:13are also
24:13working
24:14with
24:14Israel
24:14on
24:16creating
24:17cross-border
24:19financial
24:20linkages
24:21using
24:22our
24:23digital
24:24public
24:25infrastructure.
24:26honorable
24:29members,
24:30I
24:31mention
24:32how
24:34inspiring
24:35we
24:35found
24:37Israel's
24:39agricultural
24:39miracle
24:40in desert.
24:43Israeli
24:44expertise
24:45in
24:46precision
24:47irrigation
24:48and
24:50water
24:50management
24:51has
24:52already
24:53transformed
24:53agricultural
24:55practices
24:56in
24:57India.
24:58Together
24:59we
25:01have
25:01established
25:0243
25:04centers
25:04of excellence
25:05across
25:06India
25:06that have
25:08provided
25:08training
25:10to more
25:11than half
25:12a million
25:12farmers.
25:13farmers.
25:14We
25:15should now
25:15set
25:17an ambitious
25:18goal
25:19to
25:19expounding
25:20to hundred
25:21centers
25:21to benefit
25:23millions of
25:24farmers and
25:25fishermen.
25:27honorable
25:27members,
25:29at the heart
25:30of the India-Israel
25:32partnership
25:34are the ties
25:35between our
25:36peoples.
25:37When I
25:38first visited
25:39Israel in
25:402006,
25:41there
25:42were
25:43a handful
25:44of yoga
25:45centers in
25:46Israel.
25:47Today,
25:48yoga
25:49seems to be
25:50practiced
25:51in almost
25:52every neighborhood.
25:55I am told
25:56that interest…
26:02I am told that interest in Ayurved
26:06is also growing in Israel.
26:09I invite more and more young Israelis to travel to India.
26:22They will witness the dynamism of our society and experience what holistic wellness
26:33can do for the body and the mind.
26:38I am happy to inform this August house that the Indian parliament has set up a parliamentary
26:49frenzy group for Israel.
26:53I invite you all to visit India and look forward.
27:03to having more exchanges between the members of parliament.
27:12I am aware that Indian caregivers and skilled workers in Israel contribute immensely to families and communities.
27:27they have displayed remarkable courage and dedication in times of crisis including on October 7th.
27:40we are proud of them.
27:50As the Jewish teachings reminds us, whoever saves one life saves the entire world.
28:06their service reflects the strength of the human bonds behind our cooperation.
28:15we will continue to facilitate the movement of workers and professionals across sectors that benefit both of our nations.
28:29and it is perhaps no surprise that our civilized civilizational traditions also reveal philosophical parallels.
28:55In Israel, the principle of Tikkun Olam speaks of healing the world.
29:07In India,
29:11in India,
29:11Vasudhaev Kutumkham
29:12affirms
29:14that the world is one family.
29:17Both ideas
29:19extend responsibility
29:23beyond
29:24immediate boundaries.
29:28They ask societies.
29:30They ask societies to act with compassion and moral courage.
29:37Judaism
29:41emphasizes
29:43harakha
29:45guiding
29:47everyday conduct
29:49through law and practice.
29:51Hindu
29:53Hindu
29:53Hindu philosophy speaks of dharma.
29:55The moral order
29:58that shapes duty
30:00and right action.
30:03In both traditions,
30:06ethical life is lived through action
30:10and faith is expressed through conduct.
30:16There is an enduring similarity in our festivals as well.
30:22You celebrate
30:25Hanukkah
30:26with the warm glow of candles.
30:30Around the same time
30:33we celebrate
30:34Diwali
30:37the festival of lights
30:39with the gentle radiance of lamps.
30:44Soon
30:46India will celebrate
30:47the festival of holy
30:51filled with happiness
30:54and color.
30:56And around the same time
30:59Israel will also celebrate
31:02Purim
31:03with enthusiasm
31:04and joy.
31:12Honorable members,
31:14our shared
31:17ideas
31:19are the deep foundations
31:23that give strength to our modern partnership.
31:27We are democracies
31:30shaped by history
31:32and focus
31:34on the future.
31:37Our partnership
31:39is grounded
31:40in shared experience
31:43and shared aspirations.
31:46Our strong partnership
31:50not only serves national interest
31:53but also contributes
31:56to global stability
31:58and prosperity.
32:01Let us ensure
32:02that the friendship between India and Israel
32:08remains
32:09a source of strength
32:12in an uncertain world.
32:14Aam
32:17Israel
32:18Khai.
32:29Jai Hind.
32:50K
32:50K
32:50K
32:50K
32:50K
33:22Narendra Modi, who is the first one for the cooperation between the international relations between Israel and Israel,
33:30and the commitment to the cooperation between the security, the economy, the security, the technology, the technology,
33:39and the technology.
33:39I would like to thank you so much for your support.
34:32I'll go and meet the people.
34:34Ah, okay.
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