India, Israel have deep defence ties

and Israel have a long and complicated defence relationship, characterised by New Delhi keeping Tel Aviv at arm’s length till the 1990s when the two established full diplomatic ties. Since then, the two countries have warmed up to each other. Here are some milestones:

Israel provided mortars and small arms to India, which was caught by surprise by China’s attack in 1962. In 1965, faced with a US and Soviet arms boycott, India went to Israel and received similar weaponry.

Indira Gandhi asked Israeli prime minister Golda Meir, for weapons to help fight Pakistan. Meir agreed, diverting weapons ordered by Iran to India. The weapons were used by Indian soldiers and the Mukti Bahini to liberate Bangladesh.

Israel offered to carry out an aerial strike to destroy the Kahuta reactor and Pakistan’s embryonic nuclear weapons programme. But the CIA informed Pakistan, which in turn warned India that it would bomb the Trombay reactor in retaliation. India aborted the mission.

Former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao established full diplomatic ties with Israel. He later told Israeli diplomats that the main motive was to find an alternative source of arms for India at a time when its Soviet arsenal was immobilised by a lack of spares and the US sanctions on India.

Israel provided technology to stabilise India’s nuclear warheads. Cooperation has expanded since then.

: Israel technicians were flown in during the Kargil War to help India convert its 1,000 dumb bombs into laser-guided munitions.

The US vetoed the Israeli sale of Phalcon early warning aircraft to China. Clinton administration officials recommended that Israel consider India as an alternative. India agreed to a $1 billion plus deal for the Phalcon, the accompanying Green Pine radar and the rights to use the Israeli Ofek 6 military reconnaissance satellite .

Indian special forces inducted the Israeli Tavor assault rifle.

The Barak 8 air defence system was sold to India for $1.1 billion.

India bought a fleet of 176 Israeli-made UAVs and in 2017, India has the largest fleet of Israeli drones in the world – even larger than Israel’s.

India accounts for 41% of Israel defence exports

Indian Air Force fighters will join Israel and five Nato air forces in the Blue Flag joint air force exercises.