Jerusalem: India and Israel have inked a key pact to cooperate in water treatment technologies, including joint ventures for research and design in resources management, sewage and drainage.
The agreement was signed Additional Secretary D. Diptivilasa and Director of International Trade at Israel's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Labour, Boaz Hirsch, in the the presence of Kamal Nath, the Indian Minister for Urban Development who is on a three-day visit to Israel.
"The economies of India and Israel are considered to complement each other. Accelerated economic growth in India poses many challenges, but Israel with its knowledge and technologies can help us cope with these challenges," Nath said during discussions ahead of the signing of the agreement.
He said cooperation in the fields of water, hi-tech, nano-technology and agriculture between the two countries is impressive but their remains a huge untapped potential.
"We have proposed to hold a seminar during the course of the year on water management, sewage so that Israeli companies can participate in India's urban infrastructure development," said Nath.
A Joint Working Group would be established following the agreement "to examine ways to deepen cooperation between the two countries in a variety of areas related to water", said a press release by Israel's Ministry of Trade, Industry and Labour.
Among other things, the two sides will look into establishing joint ventures, launching studies and design frameworks of long-term cooperation in water resources management, sewage and drainage.
The two sides will also discuss establishing demonstration centres of Israeli technologies in India in order to promote the integration of these technologies in projects that will help India cope with the challenges in water management, the Israeli ministry said.
PTI
First Published: Monday, February 13, 2012, 20:44