Netanyahu to 'gift' water desalination jeep to PM Modi

New Delhi: The visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will gift the much talked about water desalination and purification jeep to his 'friend' and Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.This was announced by the Secretary, Economic Relations in MEA, Vijay Gokhale at a media conference here on Monday.

Briefing reporters about the deliberations on agriculture and waterfront at the delegation level talks between two sides, Mr Gokhale said, "when Prime Minister Modi went toIsrael, Mr Netanyahu showed him a mobile vehicle for purification and desalination of water.....so essentially building on that we are looking at greater collaboration on a much larger scale".He said, "That particular vehicle will be gifted by the Prime Minister of Israel to the
Prime Minister of India".

The jeep 'Gal-Mobile' is an independent, integrated water purification vehicle designed to produce high-quality drinking water and it can be useful during natural disasters and on difficult terrains and in rural areas to provide drinking water. Israeli PM and Mr Modi had waded into the Mediterranean Sea and ridden the"buggy" jeep on the sea coast during the Indian Prime Minister's visit to Israel in July.

The Gal-Mobile jeep, according to reports, would cost around Rs 70 lakh in Indian currency.Mr Gokhale further said, a number of other areas where India can help in "drip irrigation"would be also looked at.To a question, the senior MEA official said, on agriculture front, India and Israel have been"cooperating" for quite a long time and added that under that collaboration two countries have established 25 centres of excellence across various parts of India.

He said both Prime Ministers will be visiting one such centre in Gujarat - which is specifically devoted to fruits and vegetables.During that visit both the leaders through a video conference will inaugurate the second centre of excellence in Bhuj on date palms.

"We have operationalised 20 centres out of 25," he said adding what the two Prime Ministers would now discuss is to draw out a futuristic roadmap and to look at ways on how to make optimum use of technology.This will be like bringing technology "straight to the farmers", Mr Gokhale said, adding now the officials will take up the discussions further.(UNI)