India and Israel on Tuesday explored ways to build a global approach of “zero tolerance” to combat terrorism and enhance cooperation in areas of trade, infrastructure and connectivity, even as New Delhi hoped that the US-brokered Gaza peace plan would bring durable peace to the region.
The issues figured in talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa’ar. The two sides are also exploring the possibility of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visiting India in the coming months.
It is learnt that the implementation of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) came up for discussions in the context of boosting regional connectivity. “We have stood together in testing times. And we have created a relationship with a high degree of trust and reliability. Our two nations face a particular challenge from terrorism,” he said. “It is essential that we work towards ensuring a global approach of zero-tolerance towards terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations,” said Jaishakar.
On his part, Sa’ar, on a three-day trip to India, said Israel is confronting the “radical terror States” of Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthis in Yemen.
