HIGHLIGHTS:
- Central government announced to convert around 150 villages into ‘Villages of Excellence’.
- 150 villages will be transformed into “Villages of Excellence” in the vicinity of CoEs.
- 75 villages will be converted in conjunction with the Israeli government.
What is in the News?
On January 28, 2022, the Indian government declared its intention to transform 150 villages across 12 states into ‘Villages of Excellence.’
Facts to Remember
- With technical aid from the Israeli government, these villages will be transformed into Villages of Excellence.
- The Israeli government has already established 29 Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in 12 different states.
- CoEs that have already been developed are producing more than 25 million vegetable plants and 3,87,000 high-quality fruit plants.
- These CoEs have the capacity to train more than 1.2 lakh farmers each year.
Villages of Excellence
150 villages will be transformed into “Villages of Excellence” in the vicinity of CoEs. In the first year, 75 villages will be converted in conjunction with the Israeli government to mark India’s 75th year of independence.
India-Israel Relation
In 1950, India recognized Israel as a Jewish state. However, both countries’ diplomatic relations were established 30 years back in the year 1992. Since then, relations have improved as a result of shared concerns about global terrorism and religious extremism. Both countries have improved their intelligence sharing and counter-insurgency operations collaboration. India has become a significant consumer of Israeli weapons. Countries are also cooperating in research and technology, particularly in areas such as dryland agriculture.
Collaborations in Defense
Israel has provided India with radar and surveillance systems for military use. Israel also trains India’s anti-terrorist forces in counter-insurgency tactics. Since 2014, the collaboration between the two countries has grown.
Cooperation in Agriculture
In 2008, India and Israel established a $50 million agriculture fund. It was primarily concerned with dairy, micro-irrigation, and agricultural technology. As a result, the Indo-Israel Agricultural Project was formed.
Economic Relations
After China and Hong Kong, India is Israel’s third-largest trading partner in Asia. The diamond trade represents for more than 53% of all bilateral trade. Agriculture, information technology, pharmaceuticals, and telecom and homeland security have all become part of trade. India supplies Israel with precious stones, metals, textiles, textile articles, and chemical products, among other things.
