Context
Recently, at the 15th Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on Bilateral Defence Cooperation between India and Israel, both countries has agreed to form a Task Force to formulate a comprehensive Ten-Year Roadmap to identify new areas of cooperation.
Key-highlights of the Meeting
- JWG is a high-level body of defense departments from both countries aimed at fully reviewing and directing all aspects of Bilateral Defense Cooperation.
- At the meeting, it was also decided to form Sub Working Groups (SWG) on Defense Industry Cooperation. The construction of this SWG will do
- Effective use of bilateral resources,
- Effective flow of technology and sharing of industrial capabilities.
- It was also decided to schedule the Service level Staff talks in a specific time frame.
India-Israel Defense Cooperation
- Background: Strategic cooperation between the two countries began during the 1962 Sino-India War.
- In 1965, Israel supplied M-58 160-mm mortar ammunition to India in the war against Pakistan.
- It was one of the few countries that chose not to criticize the 1998 Indian Pokhran survey.
- It continued to trade arms with India even after sanctions and alienation after nuclear weapons testing.
- Respective National Interests: Strong bilateral relations in India and Israel are driven by their national interests.
- India's long-sought goals of military modernization.
- Israel's comparative profitability in trading its arms industry.
- Scope: The context of security cooperation has been expanded to include other domains such as space, counter-terrorism, and cyber security and intelligence sharing without Israeli arms sales in India.
- India was Israel's largest arms customer in 2017 with sales valued at 715 million USD.
- According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Israel is the third-largest supplier of defense equipment to India after Russia and the USA, first and second respectively.
Defense Technologies Imported by India from Israel
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
- Searcher: It is a multi-mission tactical Unmanned Air Force Vehicle (UAV) for surveillance, targeted acquisition, artillery adjustment, and damage assessment.
- Hermes 900: In December 2018, Adani Defense and Elbit Systems launched the first India-Israel joint-venture in defense partnership in Hyderabad.
- Heron: It is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAV system primarily designed to perform strategic actions.
- Air Defense Systems
- BARAK: The surface-to-air missile can be deployed as a low-range air defense interceptor. In India, the BARAKversion is known as BARAK-8 (for naval vessels).
- Missiles
- Spike: These are 4th generation Anti-Tank missiles with a range of up to 4km, which can be used in fire and forgetful mode.
- These were developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Israel.
- Crystal Maze: A kind of Indian air-to-surface missile AGM-142A Popeye - developed jointly by Israeli-based Rafael and US-based Lockheed Martin.
- Sensors
- Search Track and Guidance Radar (STGR): India has imported STGR radar to integrate INS Kolkata, INS Shivalik, and Kamorta-class frigates compatible for deploying BARAK-8 SAM missiles.
- Phalcon: This Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), is also hailed as "the eyes of the sky" in the Indian Airforce Force.
Significance of India-Israel Defense Cooperation
- Patrolling and surveillance: The Israeli imports ease the operational ability of armed forces in wartime.
- For example, archery and ammunition systems have played a key role in controlling the escalation between India and Pakistan following the post-Balakot airstrikes.
- Make in India: Israel’s defense industry focused on export and its openness in establishing joint ventures in line with ‘Make in India’ and ‘Make with India’ in defense.
- Trusted Provider: Israel has always been a ‘‘no-questions-asked supplier”, that is, it transfers even its most advanced technology without restricting its use.
- Its loyalty was strengthened during the Kargil War of 1999.
