Mangaluru: The ties between Mangaluru and Israel were extended with the distribution of digital smart boards to govt schools in Dakshina Kannada, with the support of the ‘Mashav’ initiative of the Israeli govt. Orli Weitzman, consul general of Israel in Bengaluru, and Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta, in association with the Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), held a significant dialogue involving industries and other stakeholders in the coastal district on the topic ‘West Coast India to West Asia – Charting a Mangaluru–Israel Trade Roadmap’ on Thursday.As the first phase of this dialogue, the Israeli govt donated smart digital boards to four govt schools in the district. Speaking at a press conference, KCCI president PB Ahmed Mudassar said that Israel is known as the ‘Startup Capital of the World’ and expressed the view that there is a great opportunity to commercialise and utilise these technologies on a large scale in India.Describing the dialogue as an ‘ice-breaking session’, Mudassir said that this was just the beginning. In the next phase, sector-specific discussions will be held to identify areas where Israeli technology can provide solutions, he said.MP Capt Chowta said that this relationship between Mangaluru and Israel is not limited to education alone. “The dialogue involved in-depth discussions on trade and technology cooperation between the two countries. This is the first step. Israel is renowned for its cutting-edge technologies and startup culture, and with India being a country with a large market, there are immense opportunities to scale up Israeli technologies in India. As a public representative, I will ensure all necessary support at the govt level,” he said.Speaking about her visit, Orli Weitzman said, “I was very impressed by the various ecosystems in Bengaluru. However, Mangaluru is both different and similar. The greenery I saw on the way from the airport to the city sparked a special interest in Mangaluru. Cooperation between Israel and Karnataka is already happening in several fields, such as IT and digital technology, B2B and B2G cooperation, irrigation and agricultural technology, cybersecurity, defence sector, etc,” she said, citing the example of a large delegation of 30 companies from Israel attending the Bangalore Tech Summit.Regarding the digital boards, she said, “This technology bridges that gap. It helps future generations stay connected and share common values. We are hopeful for more cooperation in the future.”Nearly 40 stakeholders, including MRPL, Campco, Nitte Institutions, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, and industry representatives from the fisheries, food, ice cream and other sectors, participated in the meet.
