Ya'alon meets with India's PM Modi during 'historic visit to rising power'

Defense minister praises bilateral defense cooperation; Warns of bad deal that will turn Iran into nuclear breakout state.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (photo credit: DEFENSE MINISTRY)
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
(photo credit: DEFENSE MINISTRY)
Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday in New Dehli, where the two discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties and Indian-Israeli cooperation on regional and global issues.
Ya’alon told his host that he viewed his visit as “a historic and highly significant event, which forms an additional layer in the strengthening of ties between India and Israel, and particularly between their defense establishments.”
The former IDF chief of staff said he saw no end in sight to the unprecedented instability rocking the Middle East. Iran is the most significant element in this instability, he said, adding that the Islamic Republic is “involved in every conflict in the area, and employs relentless terrorism, including against Israel. It spreads terrorism around the world. This is why we warn time and again against a bad agreement that will be signed with Iran and turn it into a nuclear breakout state, with all of the entailed dangerous implications.”
Israel views India as an important and rising power, the Likud politician said. “Ties and cooperation between the defense establishments are deep. I’ve instructed my people to broaden the cooperation.
We look forward to continuing to exchange data, transferring technologies, manufacturing in India, and joint work.”
Terrorism has become a global problem, Ya’alon added, saying it is no longer in the Middle East, but has spread to Europe, South America, Africa and the East.
“Global jihadist terrorists return to their countries after fighting in the Middle East with a lot of knowledge and motivation, brainwashed by religious ideology. This fact obligates all of the free world’s countries to unit against this terrorism and fight it,” he said.
Israeli defense companies showcased a range of cutting-edge products at the Aero India 2015 exhibition in Bangalore on Wednesday.