Indian PM Modi tells President Rivlin: 'Israel is a real friend'
Modi gets a warm welcome from the Israeli president as the two talk about the special bond between India and Israel; 'What we see today is I for I, and I with I—India with Israel and India for Israel,' the Indian PM says.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm welcome when he arrived at the President's Residence to meet with President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday.
"Israel is a real friend... I feel absolutely at home here," Modi told Rivlin.
Rivlin responded in kind, saying, "It has only been eight months since I visited your country, I can never forget our visit because we found a really strong nation, with strong ideas and with strong wishes, and I must say with all the respect that I have, and the pleasure that I have, that you are one of the greatest leaders of democracies in the world at this time. And we appreciate very much your visit to Israel."
Modi also spoke about Rivlin's visit to India, saying, "You took time to go to different places and see the entire country, and I think this was also a matter of great fortune for us that we got the opportunity to host you at all of those places."
Speaking of the things Israel and India have in common, Rivlin noted that "We understand the need to have partners who will 'make in India,' because the first thing the leaders of Israel at the time did in 1948, at the establishment of the State of Israel, we felt that we should produce everything in Israel."
The Indian prime minister addressed the cooperation between the two nations, noting that "In the real world, what we see today is 'I for I,' and 'I with I,' and when I say 'I for I' I don't mean the popular saying, what I mean is 'India with Israel' and 'India for Israel.'"
The Israeli president also paid his visitor a compliment, saying, "I found you to be one of the leaders who really pays attention to all the needs of his people, and also pays attention to the abilities, to the opportunities, and the needs of the other side."
