Israeli PM Netanyahu is going to gift Gal-Mobile water desalination and purification jeep to PM Modi

Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will present a special gift - the Gal-Mobile water desalination and purification jeep - to his friend Narendra Modi during his visit to India starting January 14, according to sources here.

Israeli PM Netanyahu and PM Modi waded into the Mediterranean Sea and rode the "buggy" jeep on the coast during the latter's visit to Israel in July last year.

Now Israeli PM Netanyahu is going to gift the same jeep to PM Modi, informed sources said.

As Israeli PM Netanyahu prepares for his four day visit to India, sources confirmed that the jeep has "indeed" left for India and "would be arriving on time" to be presented by the Israeli Prime Minister to PM Modi.

The jeep is said to cost around 390,000 Shekels (approximately USD 111,000).

PM Modi and Israeli PM Netanyahu had witnessed the demonstration of sea water purification technology pioneered by Israel at a water desalination unit on the Olga Beach during the Indian Prime Minister's visit to Israel.

"I am thankful to Bibi (Netanyahu) because the vehicle which I saw today, particularly during a natural calamity when people are suffering (shortage of) drinking water...Can provide drinking water," PM Modi had said after the demonstration.

"There's nothing like going to the beach with friends!," the Israeli leader had later tweeted.

The two leaders later drove together in the mobile water desalination unit, which looked like a dune buggy, and sipped desalinated water from wine glasses, raising a toast with others present there.