The Hindu : New Delhi News : Israel emerging as India’s major defence partner

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 01, 2007
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New Delhi

Israel emerging as India’s major defence partner

Sandeep Dikshit

NEW DELHI: Israel not only emerged as India’s second biggest defence equipment partner last year but is poised to maintain the tempo, with the Defence Ministry considering at least 18 projects in which Tel Aviv could be a potential partner, according to Defence Ministry sources.

If the deal for 126 fighter aircraft does not go Russia’s way and it loses out in the race for some projects under consideration, Israel could emerge as the biggest exporter of defence equipment.

The Ministry is understood to be considering areas of collaboration as diverse as lightening pods for Mirage and Jaguar fighters to submerged launch vehicles for the Navy and micro guns for the Army.

Some of the deals are expected to reach a conclusive stage with the arrival of Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak in the coming months.

Despite the controversy over the purchase of Barak anti-ship missiles for the Navy that saw the Central Bureau of Investigation registering a case in which a former Chief of the Naval Staff was also named, the Indian defence establishment is happy with the manner in which Israel has been forthcoming in consummating defence deals. Their approach, say senior officials of Defence Finance, is in contrast with the intransigence shown by the Russians in some major defence contracts and the delays that occur in foreign military sales with the U.S. The defence establishment too has not forgotten the prompt assistance offered by both Israel and Russia in responding to Indian SOS for spares and ammunition during the Kargil War, said a diplomat associated with the Ministry of Defence at that time.

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