The two leaders also discussed the centenary celebration of Haifa liberation by the Indian troops. The Chief Minister later visited the Commonwealth Cemetery for the Battle of Haifa martyrs and paid his tributes to the Indian soldiers who had laid their lives while protecting the Israeli city of Haifa from the Ottoman Empire forces during World War I. During his meeting with the President, the Chief Minister presented to him a set of his military history books and a wooden box from Hoshiarpur, engraved with mother of pearls. The President, on his part, presented Captain Amarinder Singh with a box from Jerusalem.
Jerusalem/Haifa (Face2News)
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Tuesday met Israeli President Reuven Rivlin to discuss a range of subjects of mutual interest, with an eye on engaging with Israel for technical collaboration and support in the key areas of water management, agriculture and homeland security technologies.
The Chief Minister called on President Rivlin at the President House in Jerusalem this morning and the two leaders engaged in talks on further strengthening the historically close ties between the two countries, with special focus on utilising Israeli know-how and expertise in addressing Punjab’s concerns in the areas of water management and security.
While the President shared Israel’s experience on judicious management of water to transform a desert into an agricultural nation, the Chief Minister spoke about the need to take urgent steps to check the depletion of water levels in Punjab through better water management and conservation. The President observed that India’s water problem had also been raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during their discussion. He suggested use of desalination to make water drinkable, as was being done extensively by Israel through various innovative technologies.
Referring to Punjab’s hostile neighbours, the Chief Minister also underlined the need to adopt Israeli knowledge and technologies in the area of homeland security. The President said Israel was keen to extend to India, including Punjab, all possible support in this regard.
The two leaders also discussed the centenary celebration of Haifa liberation by the Indian troops. The Chief Minister later visited the Commonwealth Cemetery for the Battle of Haifa martyrs and paid his tributes to the Indian soldiers who had laid their lives while protecting the Israeli city of Haifa from the Ottoman Empire forces during World War I. During his meeting with the President, the Chief Minister presented to him a set of his military history books and a wooden box from Hoshiarpur, engraved with mother of pearls. The President, on his part, presented Captain Amarinder Singh with a box from Jerusalem.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by his Media Advisor Raveen Thukral and Principal Secretary Tejveer Singh.