Sun Feb 16 05:58:34 UTC 2025: ## Jaishankar and Sa’ar Discuss Strengthening India-Israel Ties Amidst Regional Tensions

**Munich, Germany –** Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Sa’ar, on Saturday at the Munich Security Conference. The two ministers discussed a range of issues, highlighting the strategic importance of the India-Israel partnership. A key topic of conversation was President Donald Trump’s ambitious vision to connect Asia, Europe, and the U.S. via a major infrastructure project running through Israel, a plan that has already seen some investment.

This project, building on an existing initiative announced at the 2023 G20 Summit, aims to create a vast trade route linking India, Israel, Italy, and the United States through ports, railways, and undersea cables. President Trump recently stated that the U.S. and India are collaborating on this endeavor, which he described as one of history’s greatest trade routes.

The ministers also addressed challenges to regional stability, including attacks on trade routes attributed to the Houthis and Iran. These attacks, particularly in the Bab-el-Mandeb area, have targeted ships with alleged Israeli connections, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry.

Both ministers emphasized the strong and significant nature of the bilateral relationship between India and Israel. Mr. Jaishankar highlighted the exchange of views on the current situation in West Asia/Middle East via a post on X (formerly Twitter). Mr. Sa’ar’s office echoed this sentiment, underscoring Israel’s strategic prioritization of its ties with India.

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