Ahmedabad, January 17: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and people of India for the grand welcome during his visit here. In his address at the iCreate Center in Ahmedabad's Deo Dholera Village, Netanyahu said, “I am delighted to be here. The world knows about iPads and iPods, there is one more 'I' that the world needs to know about, that is iCreate”. The Israeli Prime Minister further added saying, “PM Modi and I are both very young and both very optimistic, we are young in our thinking and optimistic about the future”.

During his address, Netanyahu praised Narendra Modi and said that his Indian counterpart is right in saying that technology is central to development because all of us rise and fall together. He said half a year ago, Israel-India developed an innovation bridge to help solve pressing global problems.  “I have a simple message. I want young Indians to know Israel wants to form partnerships with you. We're your partners. I want Israelis to come to India. Bachelors with a backpack but with a laptop. That's why I have come here”, he added.

Netanyahu concluded his speech by thanking people of Gujarat for hosting him. “Many Indian soldiers who lost their lives during the liberation of Haifa were Gujaratis. Thank you, Gujarat. Jai Hind! Jai Bharat! Jai Israel! Thank you, Prime Minister Modi, thank you all!”, he said.

After an eight-kms road show from Ahmedabad airport, Netanyahu and his wife Sara arrived at Ahmedabad's Sabarmati Ashram with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Israeli premier and his wife tried their hands at weaving khadi on a charkha while PM Modi showed them how it worked. Both the leaders also paid respects before a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi. The Israeli couple also wrote a note in the visitor's book of the Sabarmati Ashram. The note said, "An inspiring visit to the heart of one of humanity's great prophets of inspiration Mahatma Gandhi".

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 17, 2018 03:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).