Tel Aviv — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Israel on Tuesday for the first visit by an Indian premier ever, amid growing ties between the two countries, including billions of dollars in defence deals. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials welcomed Modi with an official ceremony at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv at the start of his three-day visit. The two leaders embraced heartily and gave brief speeches, pledging to work together on issues including security, agriculture and energy. Modi called the visit "ground breaking", while Netanyahu said it was "historic". They are to have dinner later on Tuesday before talks on Wednesday. Israel, constantly searching for allies at the UN and for new business partners, has portrayed the visit as a major diplomatic victory. Israeli analysts have noted that Modi is not scheduled to travel to Ramallah to meet Palestinian leaders during his three-day stay, as is common for visiting dignitaries. Modi did, h...
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