New Delhi [India], March 18 (ANI): Israel's Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar said that India has a positive role to play in West Asia and shared his thoughts on the deepening of collaboration between India, Israel and the US.

The Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar told ANI, 'We are engaged in conversations with the Indian government. I think India has a positive role to play in the region and India has been very supportive of our right for self-defence. India doesn't surrender to terrorism, and I don't think that it expects from Israel to surrender to terrorism.'

In the early hours of Tuesday, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) had announced about conducting 'extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to the Hamas' in the Gaza Strip.

The IDF said, 'In accordance with the political echelon, the IDF and ISA are currently conducting extensive strikes on terror targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip.'

https://x.com/IDF/status/1901802698237935705

In a series of posts on X, the Israel Prime Minister's Office explained that the strikes were conducted after the instructions from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz, due to Hamas's repeated refusal to release hostages, its rejection of all of the proposals received from US Presidential Envoy Steve Witkoff and from the mediators.

'Israel will, from now on, act against Hamas with increasing military strength', the Prime Minister's Office wrote on X.

https://x.com/IsraeliPM/status/1901805685525901443

Speaking about the India-Middle East Economic Corridor (IMEC), Ambassador Reuven Azar said, 'We were very encouraged by the results of the visit of Prime Minister Modi to the United States. This link between India and the United States, both of whom are very close allies of Israel, is a very important sign. Both India and the United States want Israel to engage with them to create this partnership of technology, logistics, manufacturing, and this security alliance that will allow us to prosper in a much more rapid and stable way.'

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the IMEC, 'will comprise of two separate corridors, the east corridor connecting India to the Gulf and northern corridor connecting Gulf to Europe.'

The MEA said that the corridor will provide a reliable and cost-effective cross-border ship-to-rail transit network to supplement existing maritime routes. It intends to increase efficiency, reduce costs, secure regional supply chains, increase trade accessibility, enhance economic cooperation, generate jobs and lower greenhouse gas emission, resulting in a transformative integration of Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

IMEC will lead to the integration of Asia, Europe and the Middle East. (ANI)