Assam CM inaugurates high-tech agriculture hub in Khetri established under Indo-Israel Agricultural Project

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday, November 24 inaugurated the Centre of Excellence for Vegetables at Khetri in Kamrup (Metro) district, a flagship facility established under the Indo–Israel Agricultural Project to introduce cutting-edge agricultural technologies to the state.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora and Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar, marking a key milestone in India–Israel cooperation in modern farming and irrigation.

Speaking at the event, Chief Minister Sarma said the newly launched centre embodies the strong partnership between India and Israel in agricultural innovation.

“We have inaugurated a centre of excellence for vegetables, created with the technological support of the Government of Israel. This is a signature project of Indo-Israel friendship. It will help Assam’s farmers adopt modern irrigation systems. Israel has deep expertise in precision irrigation, and we will greatly benefit from this knowledge,” the Chief Minister said.

He extended his gratitude to the Israeli Ambassador and the visiting delegation for supporting Assam in establishing the state-of-the-art facility.

Israeli Ambassador Reuven Azar highlighted the long-standing collaboration between India and Israel in agriculture.
“We have been cooperating with India in agriculture for many years. We appreciate the trust shown by the Government of Assam in Israeli technology. Thanks to the dedication of the people of Assam, we were able to set up this Centre of Excellence, which will diversify crop production and boost productivity using Israeli innovations,” he said.

The Ambassador further noted that India remains one of Israel’s most reliable partners, with both nations advancing several key agreements in recent months.
“We are seeing strong momentum in bilateral cooperation—whether in security, industrial–military collaboration, mutual investment agreements, or discussions on a free trade agreement. We also hope to bring Israeli participation in digital initiatives like UPI. Many more agreements are in the pipeline,” Azar added.

Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora said the centre has already begun production and is expected to bring significant benefits to the farming community.
“Farmers will greatly benefit from this modern facility. Israel is providing us with vital technical support. The centre uses advanced, modernised techniques, and we are confident our farmers will adopt them and see strong results,” he said.

The Centre of Excellence is expected to enhance Assam’s agricultural productivity, encourage diversification of vegetable crops, and equip farmers with globally proven advanced farming practices.