India & Israel Collaborates in High-Tech Sectors: What's Next?

The friendship between India and Israel is entering a new era of industrial research and development cooperation. In a momentous milestone for the Science and Technology (S&T) cooperation between the two countries, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under the Ministry of Science and Technology of India and the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D), under the Ministry of Defense of Israel signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Industrial Research and Development Cooperation.

India-Israel Collaboration

Dr. N Kalaiselvi, DG, CSIR and Secretary, DSIR welcomed the dignitaries and gave an overview of CSIR, showcasing its technological and research prowess as well as the ongoing collaboration discussions with DDR&D, Israel in Aerospace, Healthcare, and Energy. The CSIR’s priority topics include Artificial Intelligence, Quantum and semiconductors, and synthetic biology. She concurred with the interest of DDR&D for further collaboration with Israel in high technology areas.

Benefits of India-Israel Cooperation

Acknowledging the ongoing cooperation efforts of CSIR and his team, Dr. Daniel Gold, Head, DDR&D envisioned that the CSIR-DDR&D cooperation would be beneficial for the welfare of both the countries. He added that DDR&D welcomes collaboration not only with R&D organizations but also with start-ups and companies, venture capitals on both sides.

India-Israel Diplomatic Relations

Stressing the successful completion of three decades of India-Israel successful diplomatic relations, Mr. Naor Gilon, Ambassador of Israel to India, emphasised the close friendly relations between Israel and India, which have culminated into a strategic partnership after the complimentary visits of Prime Ministers of both the countries in 2018. The present CSIR-DDR&D cooperation would add another feather and be a milestone for India-Israel relations.

Trade Business Of India & Israel

India and Israel have a growing trade and business partnership. Israel has become an important trading partner for India, especially in high-tech sectors, with bilateral trade reaching $5.84 billion in 2020. India has a lot to gain from Israeli expertise in areas such as cybersecurity, agriculture, and water management. On the other hand, Israel sees India as a large market with a booming economy and a huge demand for advanced technologies.

The MoU will enable cooperation in the industrial R&D programs in mutually agreeable industrial technology fields through implementation of specific projects. The collaboration would encompass key industrial sectors, including Healthcare; Aerospace & Electronics Instrumentation; Civil, Infrastructure & Engineering; Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Sustainable Energy including Energy Devices; Ecology, Environment, Earth & Ocean Sciences and Water; Mining, Minerals, Metals & Materials; Agriculture, Nutrition & Biotechnology.

The collaboration through the MoU would be steered and the execution monitored by a Joint Steering Committee led by the heads of the CSIR and DDR&D for taking forward mutually benefiting Industrial and technology cooperation.

What's Next For India-Israel?

India's holding of the G20 presidency, celebrating the International year of Millets, as well as the successful completion of 30 years of diplomatic relations between India and Israel make this a very important year in the S&T sphere of India under the leadership of the Prime Minister of India. The CSIR has specialized laboratories in almost all the identified priority sectors and will assure appropriate competence for this cooperation. The technology partnership between India and Israel is expected to strengthen their relationship and pave the way for building a better future.