India may buy $3 bn worth of Israeli defence equipment

Israel would like to expand the current seller-buyer relationship with India and strengthen it further along with Make in India initiatives to boost technology tie-up, said Israeli ambassador Daniel Carmon.

In an interaction with DH as part of Aero India 2017, Carmon said the two countries attach high importance to their shared values.

“India is becoming one of our important partners. We want to end the buyer-seller relationship and go beyond it. We definitely have our solid relationship in research and development. We are celebrating 25th year of Indo-Israel diplomatic relations,” he said.

He emphasised that the two countries attach high importance to shared values, interests and challenges. “Our defence ties with India are solid and we have a sizable presence of Israeli defence companies. Also, we have joint venture (JV) initiatives with both public and private sector companies,” he said.

At Aero India, Israel has a massive pavilion with the solid participation of Israel Ministry of Defence (IMOD), private companies and JV partners.

SIBAT, a promotion board of IMOD, has put up a stall for facilitating high-end government-to-government agreements as India has sizable contracts with many Israeli industries.

India’s Cabinet Committee on Security is expected to approve the procurement of Israeli military equipment worth an estimated $3 billion ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tel Aviv later this year.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), which develops and produces military and commercial aerospace and defence systems, finds huge potential in the Indian defence market. “Besides unmanned aerial vehicle, we are collaborating with Indian companies in refueling vehicles, signal systems, etc,” IAI executive vice-president Eli Alfassi told DH.

Besides signing MoU with Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited (KSSL) to build, market and manufacture specific air defence systems and ground-to-ground & ground-to-sea munitions, IAI also signed an agreement with Dynamatic Technologies to enable the indigenous capability for mini-UAV systems in support of the Indian government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Commenting on the growing Israel-India defence cooperation, David Keynan, vice chairman of the Federation if Indo Israeli chambers of Commerce, said the ambiguity created by the Trump administration in the US highlights the long-term and sustainable commitment of the defence ties between India and Israel.

“Over the past 25 years, many have been in and out of the Indian defence market. Only the Israeli defence industry has maintained steady and deep relations, regardless of any momentary situation,” he said.
DH News Service

Over the past 25 years, many have been in and out of the Indian defence market. Only the Israeli defence industry has maintained steady and deep relations, regardless of any momentary situation.
David Keynan, vice chairman of Federation if Indo Israeli chambers of Commerce