Tel Aviv, Feb. 24 -- Trade and connectivity are set to take centre stage as India and Israel explore ways to elevate their economic partnership, with fresh momentum around the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) during PM Modi' visit to Israel which gets underway on Wednesday.

Israel is considered a pivotal link in the ambitious corridor, which aims to connect India to Europe through the Middle East via integrated shipping and rail networks.

The discussions come amid a broader push to strengthen bilateral trade and move closer to finalising a long-pending free trade agreement (FTA) between the two countries. In an interview to Doordshan India, Indian Ambassador to Israel J P Singh highlighted the expectation of th...