Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) welcomes visiting Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Palam Airforce Station in New Delhi, India, Jan. 14, 2018. Netanyahu arrived here Sunday on a six-day visit to India, aimed at bolstering bilateral defense and trade ties. (Xinhua/Partha Sarkar)
NEW DELHI, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived here Sunday on a six-day visit of India, aimed at bolstering bilateral defense and trade ties.
This has been the first time that an Israeli Prime Minister pays an official visit to India in the past 15 years, the last being Ariel Sharon in 2003.
Netanyahu and his wife, along with a 130-member delegation, landed in Delhi on a special plane on Sunday afternoon and was received by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Modi will host a dinner for Netanyahu here on Sunday evening, while Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will also meet the Israeli leader later in the day, sources said.
On Monday, the visiting Israeli Prime Minister will meet Indian President Ram Nath Kovind and have further meetings with Modi, sources said.
Netanyahu and his wife will also visit the iconic Taj Mahal Tuesday and will go to the Indian Prime Minister's homestate of Gujarat, where the two leaders will hold a joint road show Wednesday.
Israel and India will announce deals and joint investments in areas ranging from defense to renewable energy, Gilad Cohen, deputy director-general of Israel's Foreign Ministry said.
