A Tel Aviv University delegation headed by TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat, together with Israeli academics, VCs and entrepreneurs, traveled to India to attend the 15th edition of the India-Israel Forum held in New Delhi on December 14-15, 2022. The Forum was co-convened by Tel Aviv University, Ananta Aspen Centre (India), and the Confederation of Indian Industry, bringing together leaders and experts from academia, science, business, diplomacy, civil society and politics.
As the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Israel and India was marked in 2022, this edition of the Forum reflected on past achievements as well as the recent strengthening of the bilateral relationship. Forum participants brainstormed on measures to be taken collectively to address the new challenges in the highly volatile post-COVID era.
Against this backdrop, the Forum focused on post-Abraham Accords regional dynamics, global economics and security threats, academic and research collaboration and emerging technologies. Ambassador of Israel to India Naor Gilon was among the key participants, and opening remarks were given by Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs Alon Ushpiz and Foreign Secretary of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs Vinay Kwatra. TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat led the Forum’s session on Academia and R&D with the participation of Prof. Daniel Zajfman, Chair of the Academic Board of the Israel Science Foundation.
A practical initiative on the sidelines of the Forum, the Expert Group workshop on Cyber Security Issues focused on identifying a tangible solution that would provide a first line of defense against cybercrime and cyber-attacks that would work both at the national level and as an affordable solution for small and medium-sized enterprise. The crucial importance of addressing this issue was best described in the introductory statement by Yigal Unna, Former Director General of INCD: “It is not a question of whether or not your business is attacked; it is just a question of when it will happen.” The Expert Group on Cyber is co-chaired by Giora Yaron, Chairman of Itamar Technologies, and Mr. Ananth Krishnan, Chairman of the CII Task Force on Cyber Security and CTO & EVP of TCS.
As a spin-off to the Forum, the fourth edition of the India-Israel Online Masterclass Series on Emerging Technologies is taking place in January and February 2023. The series’ aim is to promote academic linkage between India and Israel by enhancing the technical skills and knowledge of Indian students through hands-on sessions with leading professors from Tel Aviv University.
Before the Forum, the TAU delegation paid visits to partner institutions – IIT Madras in Chennai, Kumaraguru Institutions in Coimbatore, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology in Patiala, IIT Delhi and OP Jindal Global University in Delhi.
In Delhi, TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat and Vice President Prof. Milette Shamir joined Prof. Daniel Zajfman, Chair of the Israel Science Foundation Academic Board, for a meeting with Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman of the University Grants Commission of India. The discussion focused on further bridging the higher education systems of the two countries and promoting closer research collaboration between India and Israel.
The India-Israel Forum is co-chaired and supported by Stanley M. Bergman, CEO and Chairman of Henry Schein; Aharon Fogel, Chairman of GreenOnyx; Jamshyd N. Godrej, Chairman of Ananta Aspen Centre and Chairman of the Board, Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Company Limited; and Nikhil Sawhney, Managing Director of Triveni Turbine Limited. The India-Israel Forum is continuously supported by the Pears Foundation.
Prof. Milette Shamir, TAU Vice President: “The 15th annual meeting of the India-Israel forum serves as a testament to its significance for the relationship between our two nations. The forum remains a primary platform for dialogue and ideation, providing a space for exploring changing global and regional dynamics and their effects on India-Israel relations. Tel Aviv University is proud to co-convene this forum, affirming our commitment to fostering strong ties between Israel and India.”