Kerala [India], September 10 (ANI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan strongly criticised the Union Government's decision to host Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, calling it a 'betrayal of India's historic solidarity with Palestine.'

In a post shared on social media platform X on Tuesday, the Kerala Chief Minister described Smotrich as a 'far-right extremist' and a chief architect of Israel's 'brutal occupation and expansionist agenda.'

'Strongly condemn the Union Government's decision to host Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right extremist and a chief architect of Israel's brutal occupation and expansionist agenda. At a time when a genocide is unfolding in Gaza, entering into agreements with representatives of the Netanyahu regime is nothing short of a betrayal of India's historic solidarity with Palestine,' Vijayan said in a post.

He further stated, 'It is deplorable to maintain military, security, and economic ties with Israel while the path to a just and lasting peace for Palestine remains unpursued.'

https://x.com/pinarayivijayan/status/1965391295922536661

Meanwhile, India and Israel have signed a new Bilateral Investment Agreement (BIA) aimed at strengthening reciprocal investments and expanding economic cooperation between the two nations, according to an official statement by Israel's Ministry of Finance.

At the center of the visit, Israel's Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich and India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman signed the agreement in New Delhi on Monday.

The statement noted that Israel has become the first OECD member state with which India has signed such a strategic agreement, in line with India's new model for investment treaties.

The agreement will promote reciprocal investments between investors from both countries, ensuring certainty and protection while contributing to enhanced trade and investment flows. It replaces the previous agreement signed in 1996, which was terminated in 2017 as part of India's broader policy on investment treaties, the Ministry of Finance said.

The official statement added that the signing followed months of intensive work between the Chief Economist's teams at Israel's Ministry of Finance and their counterparts in India. Both ministers emphasised the robust economic relationship between the two countries, grounded in shared strategic interests, and reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation in areas such as innovation, infrastructure development, financial regulation, and digital trade. They also agreed to explore avenues for collaboration within regional development banks.

Smotrich invited Sitharaman for a reciprocal visit to Israel, while both sides agreed to jointly examine the establishment of a bilateral financial protocol to improve financing conditions for Israeli exporters.

The Israeli finance minister further noted that his ministry is considering opening a representation in India to strengthen institutional ties and advance joint economic projects, according to the Ministry of Finance statement. (ANI)