Friday, December 24 2004 10:11 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jerusalem: India and Israel have held the third Joint Working Group (JWG) meet on Defence cooperation, with Israel saying that the relation between the two countries was based on "mutual concerns".

An eight-member Indian delegation led by Defence Secretary Ajay Vikram Singh is in Israel to review the whole gamut of Defence ties between the two countries and to work out new areas of cooperation for mutual benefit, Defence sources said.

Calling India one of Israel's closest ally, the sources brushed aside any impact on the relationship between the two countries following the change of Government in New Delhi saying, "We haven't felt anything of the sort yet. Our relationship is based on mutual concerns and has sound foundations."

The two countries have recently stepped up engagement in various fields characterising cooperation at the bilateral front, with Defence cooperation talks having taken place in quick succession to Foreign Ministry consultations and the Joint Working Group meet on counter-terrorism.

A delegation from the Indian Ordnance Board is also said to have visited Israel last week and some agreements reached during the visit.

Israel has emerged as India's second largest supplier of Defence equipment after Russia.