Agri ties boost: India, Israel discuss deeper farm cooperation; focus on tech, innovation, trade

India and Israel have discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in the agriculture sector, the commerce ministry said on Saturday, PTI reported.Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, during an official visit to Israel, met Israeli Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Avi Dichter for detailed discussions on advancing agricultural collaboration.Goyal also held a series of bilateral meetings during the visit and discussed partnerships across agriculture, technology, innovation and trade, the ministry said. The visit concluded on Saturday.On Thursday, India and Israel signed the terms of reference (ToR) to formally launch negotiations for a free trade agreement, Goyal announced.The ToR includes provisions for market access through tariff and non-tariff barrier removal, investment facilitation, technology transfer, simplification of customs procedures, and easing norms for trade in services.“Now we will soon finalise the dates for starting the negotiations… Given the complementarities and challenges faced by the two countries, this can be a good basis for bilateral trade relations and open new opportunities,” Goyal said.He added that Israel will not seek market access in sensitive areas including dairy, rice, wheat and sugar.Earlier efforts for a similar pact saw eight rounds of negotiations, and the renewed push follows India’s efforts to diversify trade partnerships.Israel’s economy minister Nir Barkat said the FTA could drive investment, calling India “a great bet for investment,” adding that Make in India is “one of the smartest concepts and is relevant for many Israeli companies.”Israel is seen as a strategic technology partner, though trade volumes remain modest. During 2024-25, India’s exports to Israel fell 52% to $2.1 billion, while imports declined 26% to $1.5 billion.