Modi To Become First Indian PM To Visit Israel, To Discuss Cyber Security:- The first Indian Minister to visit Israel when he arrives on Tuesday, would be none other than Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, the result of increasing ties that have led to billions of dollars in defence deals.

Israel has been portraying the visit as historic. The country is in staunch search of allies to vote in its favor at UN bodies as well as business partners. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the visit a “further expression of the state of Israel’s military, economic and diplomatic strength.” This visit marks 25 years since the two countries established diplomatic relations. The Israeli leader said, “This is a very significant step in strengthening relations between the two countries.” “India is a huge country with over 1.25 billion people and is one of the world’s largest, growing economies. Ties between Israel and India are on a constant upswing.”

Both the have practical reasons for the trip. But Israel, with a population of some eight million, has held the visit up as a diplomatic victory. The world’s biggest importer of defence equipment, is India whereas Israel has become one of its major suppliers. The two countries ink more than USD1 billion in defence deals every year, reported the Israeli media.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the country, both India and Israel will also discuss cooperation in cyber security, amid a series of cyber attacks across the globe, including by non-state actors.

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in his remarks at the Cyber Week 2017 conference in Tel Aviv University, “Once it was a disadvantage to say that you are from Israel. Today when you talk about cyber or advanced technology, it is an advantage to say we are an Israeli company. The whole world wants us. The whole world is coming here.” Referring Mr. Modi as “one of the most important prime ministers of the world”, Netanyahu said, in many areas including cyber security, the Indian leader wants close cooperation with Israel.

The Israeli Prime Minister told the gathering in Hebrew as per a video released by his office, “For example, there is going to be a visit of Prime Minister of India, one of the most important Prime minister’s of the world, with the third largest economy in the world growing very fast. He wants close cooperation with Israel in many fields - water, agriculture, health and also in cyber.And he has a good reason to do so.”

Starting July 4, Mr. Modi will be on a three-day visit to Israel, to commemorate 25 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. “Israel’s growing acceptance across the world, especially as a “technology giant”, is going to come to full expression during the upcoming visit of “my friend Narendra Modi”, stressed Mr. Netanyahu.

To strengthen Israel’s cyber security apparatus, outlining steps taken by his government, Netanyahu argued the need for such an investment by saying that it was not only a “serious threat”, but also a “serious business”.

“A few years ago, I decided to establish Israel as one of the five leading powers in the world and I think by all accounts, we are there but the jury on security is always out. And it’s a constant challenge. Cyber security is a serious business. It is a serious business for two reasons – the first reason is that it’s a serious and growing threat. And it’s a growing threat everywhere because every single thing is being digitized,” said Mr. Netanyahu.

The rise in the need for cyber security was evaluated by the Israeli PM, as all governments clamshell with finding ways to protect confidential information of security organizations, the critical infrastructure, businesses, and every single organization “as we enter the world of internet”. The comments of the Israeli leader come in the wake of, as the nations globally witnessing two major cyber attacks this year, including the WannaCry ransomware attack was in May.

Netanyahu credited himself for creating the National Cyber Defence Authority - to streamline information sharing between government, the private sector and various organizations - to combat cyber threats. It is said that this cybernet includes hundreds of organizations, as it not only tries to help in secure communication between them and with others, but also guides them as to how to prevent or respond to cyber attacks.

To join this initiative, the Israeli leader reached out to other countries, by saying that “in general, again with some reservations, we are better together”.

The second reason, he said, as to why cyber security is a serious business, is because it is an “endless business” and a rapidly growing market. “It is growing geometrically because there is never a permanent solution. It is an endless business. The battle for market share in the fast growing market is open to anyone although there are certain requirements, certain barriers to entry. This produces an endless crop of companies,” Netanyahu said.

“We, in Israel, have 600-700 start ups and they are constantly added and weeded out. This is a fast geometrically rising market,” he added.

The countries, that once boycotted, the reputation of Israel as a centre of advanced technology and hub of cyber security, had led them now to embrace it, was also talked at length by the Israeli Premier. “There used to be a thing called the Arab boycott.Remember that. Well that has dissipated for many many reasons – strategic and others but the prominence of Israel in the technological field and in the cyber field has made Israeli companies very very attractive”, he said.

“If we look at the figures of 2016, we have about 20% share of total cyber security investment around the world,” Netanyahu said.

Modi’s visit to Isreal would be the first ever by an Indian premier to the country. The two leaders, however, already met twice on the sidelines of UN-related events and are said to be in touch with each other over the phone constantly.

SUPRAJA