Overview
- Both governments signed Terms of Reference that formally open free trade negotiations and set targets on market access, tariff and non-tariff barriers, customs simplification, investment facilitation, services, and innovation cooperation.
- Piyush Goyal said an initial tranche could deliver early benefits by focusing on low‑hanging issues while deferring sensitive items to a later phase.
- The commerce minister wrapped a three‑day visit by meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog and convening Business and CEOs Forums with a 60‑plus Indian delegation.
- Leaders emphasized pairing Israel’s high‑tech and R&D strengths with India’s market scale and talent to drive joint projects, investment, and technology transfer.
- Israel released pre‑qualification documents for a roughly $50 billion Tel Aviv metro project spanning about 300 km of tunnelling, with Indian firms urged to participate.