Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath greeting Israel's Ambassador to India Reuven Azar.
Credit: X/@myogiadityanath
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has evinced interest in using Israeli technology and expertise in police modernisation and anti-drone technology while Israel has got impressed with the improvement in UP's infrastructure and has invited companies from the state to work with them.
This was decided during the meeting Israel's Ambassador to India Reuven Azar had with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow on Tuesday.
The two leaders discussed varied issues ranging from using Israeli expertise in police modernisation, anti-drone technology and availability of "skilled manpower" from UP in Israel.
UP showed interest in tapping Israeli technology for security and agriculture. The envoy from the West Asian nation said their country was also interested in using UP's help in bettering their country's infrastructure.
"During the meeting, the envoy praised tremendous progress in UP's infrastructure over the last seven years and invited companies from the state to work in Israel to improve the Israeli infrastructure," the state government said in a statement.
Currently over "5,000 skilled" people from UP are working in Israel, the UP government said after the meeting that has come in the middle of a raging Gaza conflict.
"Apart from police modernisation and using Israel's anti-drone technology, discussions also centred around seeking Israeli technology to make the Mahakumbh 2025 in Prayagraj more secure," the state government said.
"The performance of these skilled manpower from UP in Israel has been excellent. The Israel government is interested in accommodating more skilled people in their country," the state government added.
Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shobha Karandlaje, in a written reply in Lok Sabha in July, had given a state-wise breakup of workers who had been sent to Israel from India. UP had sent 4,415 workers to the war-hit nation till then (July) topped the list. Recruitment drives were also held in Lucknow to select candidates for Israel, she said.
Till the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023, the construction sector jobs and allied activities were mostly occupied by Palestinians. But the war changed the situation leading to the West Asian nation looking up to countries like India to meet the shortfall.
UP is also interested in seeking Israel's cooperation in "drip irrigation and for drinking water". UP is taking Israel's help for tapping ground water and drinking water facilities at two places in the state.
A detailed project report was submitted for extending drip irrigation by effectively tapping ground water for improving farm produce in Bundelkhand. The state government is expected to soon take a decision in this regard.
Israeli companies are also collaborating with UP to provide technological know-how for drinking water in Agra.
UP's Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, who also met the Israeli ambassador, told PTI that their discussions centred around how to collaborate for better use of technology and marketing to boost agriculture. The two leaders discussed expanding the technical partnership between Israel and UP in the agriculture sector and connecting small farmers with the centres of excellence that have been set up with Israeli support.
"There are two centres of excellence that are currently running in UP in Kannauj and Basti and an Israeli delegation would visit one of the two centres of excellence in Kannauj on Wednesday," Shahi told PTI.
While the Basti centre deals with fruits, the one in Kannauj is about vegetables.
"It was decided to make two more centres of excellence functional in Kaushambi and Chandauli in east UP," the minister said. Apart from discussing possibilities of collaborating with Israeli companies in the PPP mode, the Israeli delegation was also informed about how UP is tapping technology for boosting agriculture, he added.
The Israeli ambassador also urged the minister to ensure UP's participation in the Agritech Exhibition to be organised in 2025.
Earlier, after the meeting, the Israeli envoy congratulated the chief minister for making "UP more secure".
Azar in his post on X thanked Adityanath and said, "Thank you very much for your support for Israel and your hospitality today. Congratulations to you for your work in making #UttarPradesh more secure and prosperous. We are committed to working on the issues discussed." The chief minister, in a post on X, talked about the "deep bond" between UP and Israel.
"Had a highly fruitful and meaningful discussion with Mr. Reuven Azar, Ambassador of Israel to India. This meeting marks another step towards strengthening the deep bond between UP and Israel in areas of mutual interest," Adityanath posted on X after the meeting.