Harare, Zimbabwe (News of the South) – Narendra Modi has arrived in Tel Aviv, becoming the first Indian prime minister to visit Israel.
Mr Modi, who recently said India and the Jewish state share a “deep and centuries-old” connection, is expected to agree military and cyber security deals.
Observers note he will not travel to Ramallah or meet Palestinian leaders, as visiting dignitaries often do.
The visit is seen by some as a turning point on India’s position on Israel.
Mr Modi called the visit “ground-breaking” as he was met at the airport by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
They will have dinner this evening ahead of formal talks on Wednesday.
Here is what the focus will be on over the next three days:
Defence deals will be top of the agenda
For years, Israel and India have been working closely together on counter-terrorism and defence issues and India has been a regular customer of arms from the Jewish state.
Working to modernise its military to counter China and Pakistan, India is now Israel’s biggest arms market, thought to be worth about $1bn (£770m) per year, according to Reuters news agency.
e co-operation ranges from a jointly built air defence system to India buying drones, radar, cyber security and communication systems.
Aside from defence deals, the two countries also want to expand co-operation in other areas, notably Israel helping India to improve agricultural productivity and food security.
The two countries are set to build closer ties
India and Israel have had diplomatic relations for 25 years.
In the past however, the relationship has always been a balancing act given India’s sizeable Muslim population and the country’s dependence on oil imports from Arab countries and Iran.
Mr Netanyahu has described Mr Modi’s visit as “historic”, saying it would “deepen co-operation in a wide range of fields – security, agriculture, water, energy – basically in almost every field Israel is involved in”.
Mr Modi is also expected to meet an Israeli boy, Moshe Holtzberg, whose parents were killed when gunmen stormed a Jewish centre in Mumbai during a 2008 terror attack.
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