(Joint MFA-MOD press release)
An Israeli research delegation, led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) in the Israel Ministry of Defense, is currently making its way from Israel to India. The delegation will deliver aid and supplies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and will complete a series of tests to determine the effectiveness of several Israeli technologies developed for the rapid diagnosis of the corona virus.
The joint MFA, MOD and Ministry of Health delegation departed this afternoon (Sunday, 26 July 2020) from Ben Gurion Airport and is expected to land in Delhi tomorrow morning.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabi Ashkenazi spoke today with his counterpart, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and updated him on the aircraft’s status and equipment on board. The two ministers also discussed the importance of cooperation between the countries in the struggle against the corona virus.
The delegation is led by Israel’s Ambassador to India Dr. Ron Malka and DDR&D officials, and is comprised of approximately 20 experts in various fields from the Ministry of Defense, the Israel Defense Forces, the Ministry of Health and the industries who partnered in the development of the diagnostic solutions. The delegation will carry out the final stages of research in India to determine the effectiveness of advanced Israeli technologies developed for the rapid diagnosis of COVID-19.
The unique cooperation between Israel and India will enable the delegation to collect tens of thousands of samples in only ten days, and to analyze them using computer systems based on artificial intelligence. This massive sampling will shorten processes and advance the approval of effective technology. It should be noted that all the necessary Israeli and Indian approvals were acquired in preparation for this joint activity.
At the initiative of the MFA, the aircraft will also carry cutting-edge equipment for battling the corona virus. The equipment was contributed by the MFA and private sector companies. This special delivery also includes ventilators - exported to India following an exceptional approval.