Israeli defence delegation to visit India next week
December 3rd, 2009 - 1:06 pm ICT by IANS ( 1 comment )New Delhi, Dec 3 (IANS) An Israeli defence delegation led by chief of defence staff Lt Gen Gabi Ashkenazi will visit India next week to not just boost bilateral military ties but also strengthen the counter-terrorism network between the two countries, officials said.
The two-day visit begins Dec 8.
“The delegation will meet chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force and the national security advisor (NSA),” a senior defence official said requesting anonymity.
Though the government has been circumspect about its military ties with Israel, there have been regular interactions at various levels. Israel has emerged as a major exporter of defence equipment to the Indian armed forces in recent years.
Indian Army chief General Deepak Kapoor had visited Tel Aviv last month.
In September 2008, then Israeli army chief General Avi Mizrahi had visited India and held talks about joint exercises on counter-insurgency and anti-terror operations. He had also made a trip to Jammu and Kashmir.
India is Israel’s biggest customer for weapons and has a longstanding relationship with Tel Aviv. India has bought military hardware and software from Israel worth about $8 billion since the 1999 Kargil conflict.
In 2004, India ordered three Phalcon Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), fitted on Russian-built Ilyushin II-76 aircraft. The first of the AWACS were inducted in the Indian Air Force in May this year.
Israel has also sold IAI Malat-built Searcher MkII and IAI Heron unmanned aerial vehicles to the Indian Air Force. The IAI recently upgraded 32 Hind Mi-24 helicopters for the Indian Army.
Rafael is a major company vying for a $10 billion contract for the supply of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force.
In 2008, Rafael won the Indian order for low-level quick reaction missile system (LLQRM), which was competing with the mobile SPYDER (Surface-to-air Python and Derby) short-range air defence system. The company is now competing for India’s quick reaction missile (QRM) and medium range surface-to-air missile (MRSAM) order with the SPYDER-SR (short-range) and SPYDER-MR (medium-range) missile systems.
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Tags: aerospace industries, army chief, army navy, chief general, counter insurgency, defence equipment, gabi ashkenazi, indian air force, indian armed forces, indian army, israeli army, jammu and kashmir, kargil conflict, kashmir india, longstanding relationship, military ties, missile system, national security advisor, phalcon, unmanned aerial vehicles
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:44 pm
An ideal and crucial relationship, as India has to stands alone in the South East Asian areana. China with its string of pearls and massive arms supplies to Pakistan has strangulated India which does not have the space for movement.Indian indigenization still lingers in the dungeon with decision making takes decades and procurements are cancelled at the last moment.India is in need of a strong airforce, Navy and army with weapons to defend and offend. India, at present lacks both. Seeking Israel’s help which has the best airforce in the world, and proven long experience of controlling terrorism from all around its boarders, India can learn a lesson or two. If America fails in its new surge in Afganistan within the time limit, India will have to face the consequences of America’s failure. Pakistan, playing a double game and ISI hand in glove relationship with the terroist outfit, india need assistance from experts to guard its boarders and in this, India has to stand alone. India and Israel must forge a relationship as they share a common problem and it must be on a higher level than with the U.S.A.