Entreprenuership, agri-innovation bring Modi-Netanyahu to Gujarat

After hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now set to showcase entrepreneurial and agri-innovation headway made by Gujarat to his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu.

The one day trip of Modi-Netanyahu will commence with a roadshow from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport to Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, similar to the one hosted by PM Modi for Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. 

Followed by the roadshow and a visit to the historic Sabarmati Ashram, the two dignitaries will head towards International Centre for Entrepreneurship and Technology (iCreate) on the outskirts of Ahmedabad to launch its new dedicated facility.

With the co-operation of Israel, iCreate was launched by Narendra Modi as the then chief minister of Gujarat in 2011.  With its advisory board comprising members like Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy, Kotak Mahindra Bank Executive VC & MD Uday Kotak, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd founder Dilip Shanghvi, among others iCreate has been incubating startups with the help of Israel.

Modi and Netanyahu will then head towards to Prantij in Sabarkantha district of north Gujarat for a visit to centre of excellence (CoE) for vegetables. Set up under the Indo-Israel Agriculture Work Plan, the CoE in Vadrad village is working towards the exchange of advanced farming technology. 

The centre of excellence has been helping farmers in adopting precision farming of vegetables. Apart from this, it has also been providing training on controlled farming techniques such as using net houses and seedlings developed in the plug nursery.

From there, the two dignitaries will also inaugurate a research facility for cultivation of dates in Kutch via remote. 

Last year Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel, following which the Israeli PM is now on a visit to India. Until now, Ariel Sharon was the first and only Israeli PM to visit India in 2003.