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PM Narendra Modi hugs 'friend' Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel PM arrives in Delhi on 'historic' visit

By FnF Correspondent | PUBLISHED: 14, Jan 2018, 18:39 pm IST | UPDATED: 14, Jan 2018, 19:33 pm IST

PM Narendra Modi hugs 'friend' Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel PM arrives in Delhi on 'historic' visit New Delhi: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who is on a six-day visit to India, was on Sunday received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Delhi Airport.  Setting aside protocol, Modi received his Israeli counterpart with a hug upon arrival.

"Welcome to India, my friend PM Netanyahu! Your visit to India is historic and special. It will further cement the close friendship between our nations," Modi tweeted.

The two prime ministers attended a solemn ceremony at the Teen Murti Memorial on Sunday to mark the formal renaming of Teen Murti Chowk as the Teen Murti Haifa Chowk by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).

 As a symbolic gesture of friendship with Israel, India renamed the iconic Teen Murti Chowk, a war memorial, during the visit of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The new name of the war memorial located in a roundabout near the Teen Murti Bhavan, the official residence of the first Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru will be, Teen Murti Haifa Chowk.

Reports suggest that the decision to rename the iconic landmark of the national capital was taken during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel in July 2017. However, the formal ceremony to rename the landmark took place after Prime Minister Netanyahu landed in Delhi on January 14.  He is on a six-day visit.

Mr. Modi had indicated at the renaming during his visit to Haifa last year where he unveiled a plaque commemorating the leadership of Major Dalpat Singh who led the successful operation. 2018 marks a centenary of the end of the World War I and the Battle of Haifa.

Teen Murti War Memorial has three life-size bronze statues representing the Hyderabad, Jodhpur and Mysore Lancers who participated in the Battle of Haifa for the 15 Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade. The victorious operation by the Indian soldiers carried out on 23 September 1918 targeted the fortification of the city of Haifa which was then controlled by a joint Ottoman, German and Austro-Hungarian force.

The Indian soldiers fighting for the Allied Powers, captured Haifa and cleared a crucial route for the Allies. A total of 44 Indian soldiers from the three princely states died during the liberation of Haifa.

However, there was some confusion in the naming process as initial photographs from the venue suggested that both the memorial as well as the Teen Murti Marg which radiates from the roundabout will be renamed.

Photographs had shown that New Delhi Municipal Corporation’s workers were printing ‘Teen Murti Haifa Marg’ on the road signs as well. However the NDMC sources said though the name of the Teen Murti Chowk had been changed to Teen Murti Haifa Chowk, the civic body had had new boards made for Teen Murti Marg as well.

Workers were testing out the ‘Teen Murti Haifa Marg’ boards on Saturday evening, before the NDMC got confirmation from the MEA about the name change of the chowk alone, said an NDMC official. The official added that name displayed on the boards on Teen Murti Marg had gone back to the old one, without Haifa.

The two leaders also laid a wreath and signed the visitors’ book at the memorial.

In the visitor’s book, Mr. Modi wrote that he saluted the “great Indian traditions of selfless sacrifice and penance” of Indian soldiers, who laid down their lives during the liberation of the city of Haifa and the First World War.

“One of these pages was written 100 years ago, in the sacrifice of Indian soldiers at Haifa. The sacrifice commemorated at Teen Murti observes its centenary. Naming this spot as Teen Murti-Haifa Chowk marks this historic occasion.

In the presence of the Prime Minister of Israel, we pay homage to the brave soldiers,” Mr. Modi wrote in the visitors’ book.

The three bronze statues at Teen Murti represent the Hyderabad, Jodhpur and Mysore Lancers who were part of the 15 Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade.

The brigade carried out the victorious assault on the fortified city of Haifa on September 23, 1918, during World War I.

There are various accounts of this battle — all narrate the valour with which the lancers undertook the assault on the garrisoned city protected by a joint force of Ottomans, Germany and Austria-Hungary.

The liberation of Haifa cleared a supply route for the Allies to the city through the sea.

Forty four Indian soldiers died during the liberation of the city. Till date, the 61 Cavalry celebrates September 23 as its Raising Day or “Haifa Day”.

The visit marks 25 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and takes place about six months after Modi's trip to Israel, the first by an Indian prime minister to the Jewish state.

Netanyahu's visit to India is only the second one by an Israeli prime minister and comes after a gap of 15 years.

Keen to strengthen bilateral relations "even more", Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu earlier on Sunday left for India along with the largest business delegation that has ever accompanied an Israeli premier on an overseas tour.

"This evening I am leaving on an historic visit to India. I will meet with the Prime Minister, my friend Narendra Modi, with the Indian President and with many other leaders. We will sign very many agreements," Netanyahu said in statement.

"We are strengthening ties between Israel and this important global power. This serves our security, economic, trade and tourism interests, as well as many other areas. This is a great blessing for the State of Israel," he said.

"Indian Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi is a close friend of Israel and of mine and I appreciate the fact that he will accompany me on extensive parts of my visit," Netanyahu said just before leaving for New Delhi.

"On this visit I intend to strengthen bilateral relations even more. This visit is an opportunity to enhance cooperation with a global economic, security, technology and tourism power," he added.

Netanyahu will hold meetings with President Ram Nath Kovind and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, apart from Modi.

Several MoUs, including in the field of oil and gas, renewable energy, amended protocol for airports, cyber security, and co-production of films and documentaries, will be signed between the two sides.

Israel's Saare Tzedek hospital would be signing an agreement with the ministry of health and family welfare.

Sources said that this relates to sharing of knowledge in the field of homoeopathy and Ayurveda that have been gaining popularity in Israel over the last few years.

Technion-Israel Institute of Technology would also be signing an agreement with the ministry of science and technology, sources here said.

Netanyahu is leading a high-profile delegation comprising 130 businessmen from 102 Israeli companies drawn from areas like agriculture, water, cyber security, health care and security, on his trip.

Israel will be investing USD 68.6 million to boost cooperation with India in areas like tourism, technology, agriculture and innovation over a period of four years, a senior official here said ahead of Netanyahu's visit.

The commitment is in addition to the India-Israel Industrial R&D and Technological Innovation Fund of USD 40 million over five years with equal contribution from both sides that has already been agreed between the two nations, Deputy Director General of Israel's Foreign Ministry, Gilad Cohen, earlier told PTI.

The Indian prime minister will be hosting a private dinner for Netanyahu today evening after his arrival in New Delhi. The Israeli leader would also meet Swaraj.

The Israeli premier would be formally welcomed on Monday morning at Rashtrapati Bhawan following which he would lay a wreath at Rajghat. He would then participate in a dialogue at Hyderabad House which will also include a one-on-one discussion with Modi. A meeting with President Kovind is also scheduled for Monday.

Netanyahu, accompanied by his wife Sara, would be travelling to Agra to see the Taj Mahal on Tuesday and return to Delhi to participate in the Raisina Dialogue.

Modi would be accompanying Netanyahu to Gujarat on Wednesday where he will be welcomed in the same fashion as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was with a road show in Ahmedabad.

The road show is said to be an 8-kilometre drive from the airport to the Sabarmati Ashram. The two leaders will also be witnessing several innovative technologies in the field of water, agriculture and health at iCreate and visit a Centre of Excellence.

Netanyahu would arrive in Mumbai on Wednesday in the evening where he will meet the Indian Jewish community.

A packed schedule on Thursday for the Israeli premier in Mumbai would include a "power breakfast" with Indian business leaders, a business seminar, attending two memorial services for the victims of the 26/11 attack at the Taj hotel and Nariman House and finally a gala event with Bollywood actors.
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