Israel's President Reuven Rivlin speaks during his meeting with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, at the President's residence in Jerusalem, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin speaks during his meeting with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, at the President’s residence in Jerusalem, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)

SAN FRANCISCO (Diya TV) — Israel President Reuven Rivlin, who refers to the Indian community as a “close friend,” has departed for New Delhi for a six-day trip in an effort to further strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.

Rivlin referred to both nations as places of “innovation and inspiration,” and will be arriving in India with a large delegation of businessman and academics. He will join President Pranab Mukherjee in inaugurating an agro-tech conference in Chandigarh, hold meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and visit several sites of cooperation and joint projects between the two countries.

Rivlin will also take time to pay his respects at the sites of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, as well as lay wreaths at the tomb of Mahatma Gandhi and at the memorial for Indian soldiers who were killed in the line of duty during combat in World War I in Israel and the Middle East. Six Jews were killed at the Mumbai Chabad house during the Mumbai terror attacks which left more than 166 dead.

Rivlin, who will be accompanied on the trip by his wife, will also hold meetings with senior Indian officials and with leaders of the Jewish community.

“I am departing now on an important visit to India, an important ally and close friend of Israel, a state with whom we have much in common,” Rivlin said just before leaving for New Delhi.

“Israel and India are both countries of innovation and of inspiration. Countries that have ancient traditions, but have built strong and thriving hi-tech economies, and now celebrate 25 years of diplomatic relations. This visit is a sign of the strong relations and friendship between our peoples, and I hope will plant the seeds for that friendship to grow closer and closer,” he said.

Speculation has run rampant that Rivlin’s visit would pave the way for Modi’s visit to Jerusalem, the first by an Indian Prime Minister and is likely to take place next year when the two countries celebrate 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.