The areas of cooperation which have been identified to promote cultural ties include exchange of culture and art experts

India and Israel have strengthened their strategic relations by signing a cultural agreement which outlines a three-year programme of cooperation.

The agreement, which was signed between Israel’s foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi and India’s Ambassador to Israel Sanjeev Singla, states that both countries are convinced that this cooperation shall contribute to the development of their relations and to raising awareness, particularly among youth, of the history and culture of the people of both countries and agree to promote cooperation in order to improve and strengthen mutual understanding and friendship, said a report in The Times of India.

The major areas of cooperation which have been identified to promote cultural ties include exchange of culture and art experts, encouraging cooperation in the protection of cultural heritage and archaeology with the help of Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It also includes organizing literary fests and book fairs, while promoting the translation of famous works in each other’s languages, the Times of India report said.

Israel’s foreign minister Gabi Ashkenazi said the cultural agreement with India is one of a series of agreements which will be followed by the signing of a water agreement by the Israeli Ambassador in India. “I am very excited to say that we are working on a mutual film production with the famous Bollywood industry of India,” the report quoted Ashkenazi.

Ambassador Singla said the strategic relationship between India and Israel is on a qualitatively different trajectory since the historic visit of PM Narendra Modi to Israel in July 2017. He explained that the agreement will give further impetus, enhancing people-to-people relations.

Read the full report in The Times of India