Israel keen on enhancing trade engagements with Mangaluru, says Consul General

Orli Weitzman, Consul General of Israel in Bengaluru on January 15, said her country was keen on enhancing trade relations between Israel and India, with a specific focus on increasing trade engagement between Mangaluru and Israel.

She was speaking at a roundtable on “West Coast India to West Asia – Charting a Mangaluru–Israel Trade Roadmap” jointly organised by Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and the office of Dakshina Kannada Member of Parliament here on Thursday.

She emphasised the steadily strengthening bilateral relations between India and Israel, and acknowledged the progress of the Indian economy. Ms. Weitzman underlined her mandate to lay a strong foundation for business-to-business collaboration between Mangaluru and Israel.

KCCI President P.B. Ahmed Mudassar said members were keen to explore collaboration opportunities in sectors including, petrochemicals, agri-tech, agri-commodities, startups, fisheries, IT, and allied industries. He highlighted the proactive role played by MP Captain Brijesh Chowta since assuming office, particularly in strengthening connectivity and addressing key trade-related issues.

Action-oriented engagement

During the interaction, Capt. Chowta said the proposed engagement would be private sector-led, port-led, women-led and action-oriented, focusing on tangible outcomes rather than mere dialogue.

He highlighted opportunities across sectors, including dairy, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, cocoa, coffee and technology, desalination, drip irrigation and precision farming. He stressed the importance of leveraging Israeli cutting-edge technology, while simultaneously opening new export avenues for Mangaluru-based products to Israel.

The discussion also emphasised the need for early business-to-business delegation exchanges, enabling entrepreneurs from both regions to identify collaboration areas and commence trade at the earliest. Israel was highlighted as a global startup and technology hub, while India’s strength in scaling up innovations was recognised as a key complementary advantage.

Further discussions identified cybersecurity and education as sectors with immense potential. It was proposed that Mangaluru could emerge as a hub for Israeli cybersecurity companies, including the establishment of data centres and Global Capability Centres (GCCs). Opportunities for academic, healthcare, and knowledge-exchange programmes between institutions in Mangaluru and Israel were also discussed.