Israel’s plans to open a consulate in Bangalore will not be affected by Monday’s
bombing of an Israeli diplomat’s car in New Delhi, government sources said
Wednesday.
Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman announced plans for Israel
to open its third diplomatic mission in India at Bangalore during Indian Foreign
Minister S.M. Krishna’s visit here last month.
“It is wonderful news
coming at a time when the two countries are celebrating 20 years of diplomatic
relations,” Liberman said when announcing plans to open the
consulate.
Bangalore is the center of India’s flourishing hi-tech
industry, and a city where many Israeli hi-tech businesses have representatives.
The opening of the consulate there is expected to significantly increase
cooperation between the countries’ hi-tech sectors.
The Foreign Ministry
recently issued internal tenders to fill the top-two positions at the new
consulate, and logistical efforts are well under way to set up the diplomatic
mission there. The consulate is expected to open within a year.
Foreign
Ministry officials said the time line for opening the consulate would
“definitely not” be slowed down as a result of the New Delhi attack.
The
officials also said that the Indians have not indicated they would like to see
plans to open the new mission temporarily shelved because of security
concerns.
Israel is currently served in India by its embassy in New Delhi
and a consulate in Mumbai.