Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu addresses inaugural session of 'Raisina Dialogue' - Top quotes

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in New Delhi on a six-day visit on January 14, 2018.

Pic courtesy: Twitter/@narendramodi

New Delhi: The threat of radical Islam and its terrorist offshoots can "upset" the international system, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday.

At the same time, addressing the inaugural session of the 'Raisina Dialogue', he hailed India as Israel's "natural friend and partner".

Following are his top quotes:

- "Most notably the quest for modernity, the quest for innovation is being challenged by radical Islam and its terrorist offshoots from a variety of corners and this can upset the international system. One of the ways to overcome such a challenge is to strengthen the relationship between our two great democracies. The alliances of democracies is important to secure our common future."

- "The weak don't survive, the strong survive. You make peace, alliances with the strong. You are able to maintain peace by being strong."

- "We have a special relationship. We are naturally sympathetic to India. When I was walking the streets of Agra, somebody said we are so happy that you are friends with our prime minister. He said we are friends."

- Netanyahu said he found "astounding" the fact that under PM Narendra Modi, India has climbed nearly 42 spots in the ease of doing business rankings even as he stressed on the need to cut red tape to encourage businesses.

- He said a government can both facilitate and block economic growth. Growth is possible when there is a free market, which facilitates innovation by business entities, he said.

- Netanyahu also said to defend a nation, one needs a strong military, which in turn requires a lot of money. The money, he said, comes from a strong economy.

- "Defence costs a great deal of money. The money comes from the second source of power, economic power... The third power is political power, which means the ability to make political alliances and relationships with many other countries."

(With PTI inputs)