India, Israel should cooperate to checkmate terror: Krishna

JERUSALEM: Israel is a "natural ally" of India, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said today as he sought a strategy with the Jewish state to "checkmate" the scourge of international terrorism.

Krishna, the first Indian foreign minister to visit Israel in over a decade, met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said, international terrorism is a "problem" for both countries and emphasised on need for greater bilateral trade relations.

"India is a natural ally of Israel in all these frontiers of science. I look forward to an increased economic content to our existing areas of cooperation," he said, ahead of his breakfast meeting with Netanyahu.

Krishna said India has learnt so much from Israel, particularly in the field of agriculture and science and technological innovation.

Krishna said terrorism is a "problem" that is being commonly faced by both Israel as well as India.

"So I think we will have to workout a strategy as how we address ourselves to the scourge of international terrorism which has become a curse for the entire humanity.

"I think our efforts should be to checkmate it and ultimately eradicate terror from the face of the earth," Krishna said.

Netanyahu responded by saying that he was looking forward to discussing "all areas of cooperation".

Krishna's comments came in the backdrop of increasing cooperation between Tel Aviv and New Delhi in the field of homeland security and defence.