Tel Aviv: Enhanced co-operation between India and Israel, specially in the area of application of high-technology to fight the menace of terrorism, is the need of the hour, former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres has said.

Both Israel and India ''are fighting terror... and we aim to go up the highest point of high technology (to fight terror) and we shall help each other'', Peres told a gathering of Israeli and Indian businessmen.

Emphasising that there was no choice but to co-operate in the fight against terrorism, Peres said, ''Its not that the world has declared a war against terrorism, it is the terrorists that have declared a war against the world and we don't have a choice but to defend our lives...we did not invite it but we want to overcome it.''

Referring to 10 years of Indo-Israeli relations, Peres said bilateral ties had become more meaningful and important in one decade. ''I cannot think of a more successful relationship in the last 10 years than the bond that was developed between India and ourselves.... we are following with great admiration the development of India and we are extremely happy with the development.''

PTI