Israel Finance Minister Explores GIFT City Investments, meets Gujarat CM

Gandhinagar | Gujarat —– Bezalel Smotrich, Finance Minister of Israel, and his delegation paid a courtesy visit to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar and visited GIFT City on Wednesday.

Bezalel Smotrich emphasized the shared heritage, traditions, culture, and technology between India, Gujarat, and Israel, and engaged in meaningful discussions on further strengthening these ties in the future.

The Finance Minister of Israel stated that he visited Gujarat with the desire to see the birthplace of a distinguished leader like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and to explore opportunities for business relations and for Israel to operate in international financial hubs such as GIFT City. 

As part of his three-day official India tour, Bezalel Smotrich visited Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) — India’s first operational smart city and maiden International Financial Services Centre in Gandhinagar on Wednesday. The visit reaffirms GIFT City’s emergence as a dynamic hub for financial services, cutting-edge technology, and innovation, drawing growing interest from global leaders and investors.

Accompanied by a delegation comprising senior officials from the Israel Government and regulators, Smotrich engaged in detailed discussions with  K. Rajaraman, Chairperson, IFSCA,  Sanjay Kaul, MD & Group CEO, GIFT City and senior officials from GIFT City & IFSCA to understand the GIFT City’s development model, including its IFSC, fintech innovation hubs, and progressive regulatory framework. He expressed his deep appreciation for the scale, vision, and execution of GIFT City, commending it as a model for future-ready financial & tech infrastructure.

Considering GIFT City being project of national importance, the Minister noted the city’s role in positioning India as a global financial hub and highlighted its potential as a platform for India–Israel collaboration in finance and technology.

Welcoming Smotrich to GIFT City,  Sanjay Kaul, said, “We are honoured to host Hon’ble Finance Minister Mr. Bezalel Smotrich at GIFT City. His visit reflects the global recognition GIFT City is receiving as a modern financial & tech hub. We see immense potential for collaboration between India and Israel, especially in areas like fintech, innovation, and sustainable finance. We look forward to building long-term partnerships that create value for both economies.”

Discussions during the visit highlighted the existing diverse opportunities available at GIFT City across banking, insurance, capital markets, fintech, and asset management. Backed by world-class infrastructure, progressive regulations, and strong government support, GIFT City is steadily positioning itself as a gateway for global institutions to participate in India’s growth story.

Welcoming the deep interest shown by the Finance Minister of Israel in investments and business opportunities in GIFT City, CM said that a joint team of officials from the Government of Gujarat and Israel could be formed to engage in discussions and explore further opportunities in this direction.

During the meeting, CM also conveyed his condolences to the citizens who lost their lives in the recent incidents in Israel. He further commended  Israel’s resilience and determination in facing challenges.