JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi spoke on Monday and agreed to advance bilateral cooperation on handling the coronavirus pandemic and to hold a digital conference on innovation in the field of solar energy.
"The two leaders agreed to continue and advance bilateral cooperation in the fight against the coronavirus with emphasis on technological cooperation and tests," Israeli PM's official twitter handle said. India and Israel have been cooperating in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic with a high-level delegation from Israel carrying out trials on a rapid testing kit in India.
Sources here said that the two countries will also be cooperating on the mass production of the vaccine against the coronavirus as and when time comes. "The two (leaders) also agreed to hold a digital conference on innovation in the field of solar energy in order to jointly achieve more inexpensive solutions that will benefit the economies of both countries and the entire world," Israeli PM's office tweeted.
Informed sources told PTI that Israel is likely to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA) soon, a global initiative launched by Prime Minister Modi.
It was the fourth telephonic conversation between the two leaders since the outbreak of the pandemic. India sent a "much-needed" consignment of medicines at Israel's request which was reciprocated by Israel when it sent a consignment of ventilators to Delhi.