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.
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.
