External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met Israel's Defence Minister Moshe Ya'alon on Monday, the second day of her visit to Israel.“Taking India Israel ties further. EAM @SushmaSwaraj meets with Defence Minister Moshe Ya'alon in Jerusalem,” external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted.Ahead of Sushma Swaraj's visit to Israel, Israeli Ambassador to India David Carmon told the media in New Delhi that defence cooperation was “the central pillar of our relationship".He said Israeli defence manufacturing companies were "open and flexible" to the idea of 'Make in India'.
He also said transfer of technology was possible too.Carmon said India-Israel defence ties have gone way beyond buyer and seller relationship and now it was about joint research and development.Prior to her meeting with Ya'alon, Sushma Swaraj held a meeting with Israeli Minister of National Infrastructure, Energy and Water Yuval Steinitz.Earlier on Monday, the Indian minister called on Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. She told Netanyahu that India attached highest importance to its ties with Israel. Sushma Swaraj is being accompanied by the Secretary (East) in the external affairs ministry, Anil Wadhwa, and a number of other senior officials of the ministry during her two-day visit to Israel and Palestine.Sushma Swaraj's visit to Israel comes after the visit of President Pranab Mukherjee in October last year.