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India, Israel to sign $100 million missile deal

By Atul Aneja

MANAMA Nov. 25. India and Israel are ready to sign a $100 million deal for the transfer of Barak anti-ship missiles, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported today.

The deal will enable the transfer of the third consignment of the missiles. The Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI), the manufacturers, has sold India these weapons, worth $260 million, in the past. The Israeli Navy's Sa'ar missile boats are equipped with Barak missiles and India had first mounted this system on its aircraft carrier INS Viraat.

The Haaretz report said the Barak missile, during a recent test by the Indian Navy, failed to hit its target. The firing of a second back-up projectile was, however, accurate. IAI sources, the daily said, attributed the failure to a problem in the communication frequencies of the missile and the warship. An error in the missile's guidance system could also have caused it to miss.

The missile purchase has been controversial right from the outset and the circumstances regarding its initial acquisition figured in the Tehelka defence corruption scandal. Critics have also questioned its capacity to counter supersonic anti-ship missiles.

The Barak missile is supported by a radar mounted on a ship's mast, which provides early warning about threat from cruise missiles, smart bombs and helicopters. A warship is armed with 32 all-weather missiles, each weighing about 100 kg.

India has emerged as one the biggest buyers of Israeli military hardware in recent years and is acquiring the Phalcon early warning radars, which will enhance its strategic reach in its neighbourhood significantly. Both sides have also discussed the transfer of the Arrow-2 surface-to air missiles as part of India's defence against ballistic missiles.

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