New Delhi: It was a sign of big trust in depositing a strategic asset in the hands of an Indian company, Israel Ambassador to India Naor Gilon commented Wednesday on the Adani Group’s recent takeover of the country’s Haifa port.
The conglomerate, led by billionaire Gautam Adani, acquired the strategic Israeli port for $1.2 billion at the end of January. Adani promised to transform the skyline of this Mediterranean city as part of its decision to invest more in the Jewish nation, including opening an artificial intelligence lab in Tel Aviv.
“The purchase of the Haifa port by Adani is a very important move from our point of view,” Gilon told reporters Wednesday, adding, “Haifa port is a strategic asset, and the fact that we are giving it to an Indian company… (it) is a symbolic sign of big trust in depositing your strategic asset in the hands of an Indian company.”
Gilon said Adani’s “bread and butter” was ports. “That is where they started. (There is) potential for them to make the Haifa port the port it needs to be and to increase trade in the region…. Also to help trade between our countries.”
Gilon also said Israel was happy with this decision.
#WATCH | It was a very important move from our point of view because Haifa Port is our strategic asset.Adani Group has the potential to make the Haifa Port the port it needs to be & to increase trade b/w Israel & India: Israel's Ambassador to India on Adani taking over Haifa Port pic.twitter.com/UeKBwPYYQn
— ANI (@ANI) February 22, 2023
Haifa is the second largest port in Israel in terms of shipping containers and the biggest in shipping tourist cruise ships.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the Haifa deal as an “enormous milestone”, saying it would significantly improve connectivity between the two countries in many ways.
Appearing alongside Adani during the announcement in January, Netanyahu had said: “I think this is an enormous milestone… Over 100 years ago, and during World World I, brave Indian soldiers helped liberate the city of Haifa. And today, it’s very robust Indian investors who are helping to liberate the port of Haifa.”
On his part, Adani said his group would also develop real estate at the port city.
The deal came barely a week after American short-seller firm Hindenburg Research’s report that alleged financial impropriety in the company following which the group lost nearly $100 billion in value.
In the last six years, the Adani Group has struck many critical partnerships with Israeli companies such as Elbit Systems, Israel Weapon Systems, and Israel Innovation Authority.
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