Guwahati (Assam) [India], November 24 (ANI): Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar on Sunday expressed optimism about the progress of the India-Israel Free Trade Agreement (FTA), stating that the recent signing of Terms of Reference (ToR) for the agreement during Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's visit to Tel Aviv has brought the two nations very close to finalising the pact.

Speaking following the inauguration of the Centre of Excellence for Vegetables under the Indo-Israel Agricultural Project at Khetri in Assam's Kamrup (Metro) district, the Ambassador described India as a 'reliable partner', highlighting the rapid momentum in bilateral ties.

'We see in India a reliable partner, and therefore we are seeing a lot of energy coming from Israel to finalise many important agreements. We signed agreements in the field of security to increase our industrial-military cooperation. We signed an agreement of mutual investments,' Azar said.

'Now, thanks to the visit of Minister Piyush Goyal, we've signed the terms of reference for a free trade agreement that hopefully we are going to sign,' he added.

Last week, India and Israel formally signed the ToR to begin negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement, marking a significant step toward strengthening economic ties between the two countries.

The ToR was signed between Goyal and Israeli Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat at a ceremony in Tel Aviv.

Azar further stated that India and Israel are exploring more areas of collaboration, including digital payments and financial cooperation.

Highlighting the deepening agricultural partnership between the two nations, the ambassador praised the Government of Assam for embracing Israeli technology to boost local farming practices.

He was there with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who inaugurated the new Centre of Excellence aimed at boosting vegetable productivity through advanced Israeli technologies.

'We've been cooperating with India in agriculture for many years now, and fortunately, we had this opportunity in which the government of Assam gave faith in the Israeli technology. Thanks to the hard work of the people of Assam, we have been able to put up this centre of excellence, which hopefully will help diversify crops in Assam and increase productivity,' the Ambassador added.

The Khetri facility is the latest addition to the growing network of Indo-Israeli Centres of Excellence across India, which have become flagships of agricultural collaboration between the two countries.

According to the Israeli Embassy in New Delhi, both countries have a strategic cooperation on the G2G level in the field of agriculture.

This partnership evolved into the Indo-Israel Agricultural Project (IIAP), based on an MOU signed between the two countries.

The project aims to introduce crop diversity, increase productivity, and optimise water-use efficiency.

IIAP is implemented through the establishment of Centres of Excellence (CoE), which act as demonstration farms where Israeli Ag-technologies and knowledge are disseminated and tailored to local Indian conditions.

There are 34 fully active Centres of Excellence across India, and 16 more to be established soon. (ANI)