In an exclusive interaction at the DNA Mumbai office on Monday, Ambassador Carmon, who will be completing four years in office at the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi, spoke about various aspects of bilateral relations.
Asserting that Israel and India are in full agreement when it comes to combating terrorism, Israel Ambassador to India Daniel Carmon said his country was concerned about Iran. In an exclusive interaction at the DNA Mumbai office on Monday, Ambassador Carmon, who will be completing four years in office at the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi, spoke about various aspects of bilateral relations.
"We look at our bilateral relations as they are currently. We are not bothered about India's commitment with other countries. The Indian government has also made it clear that they have a commitment with the Palestine issue but also have a commitment with Israel. Israel shouldn't be bothered with India's relations with other countries. The Middle East has also changed dramatically and it is not the old Middle East. It is not a zero sum game anymore," said Carmon when asked about if India's relationships with Middle Eastern countries was impacting the Indo-Israel partnership.
However, Ambassador Carmon was more circumspect when committing on the Indo-Iran relationship. While acknowledging India's centuries-old relations with Iran, he described Iran a major challenge in the region. "Iran is doing all the wrong things in the region. Most of the moderate Middle Eastern countries agree to what Israel feels about Iran."
Iran is destabilising many countries like Syria and Lebanon. "In Yemen, Libya and Iraq, the Iranians are active and not in a good way. It is developing nuclear military capabilities. We think that the move by US President Donald Trump to impose sanctions against Iran are in the right direction," said the Ambassador.
Carmon described usage of efficient agriculture technology as one of the mainstay in the bilateral relations with India. He said that through 22 demonstration farm centres, around 20,000 Indian farmers are enjoying the advantages in the area of floriculture, citrus, mango and pomegranate research. Four such centres in Maharashtra in Dapoli, Aurangabad, Nagpur and Rahuri are fostering research in Alphonso, Kesar, Citrus and Pomegranate respectively.
He stated that there were reasons in the past why India and Israel couldn't conduct diplomacy with vigour. But things have changed now.
"There were global and geopolitical reasons why India and Israel were not together. India represented the non aligned movement dominated by the Arab world. There was a time when an Israeli diplomat would walk in the room, the Arab diplomats would walk out. Now situation has changed. India is also looking partners all over the world," added the Ambassador.
Israeli envoy refused to divulge any details about the nature of military and intelligence co-operation between India and Israel following the 26/11 attacks. "Things become more efficient when they are done quietly," said the Israeli Ambassador.
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