אינדקס
ndo Israel defense deals could unleash a 'Lethal Arms Race' in the region – Dr Zafar Nawaz JaspalIndia’s shopping spree for military hardware, in order to modernize its armed forces, makes it an attractive prospect for Israel’s military-industrial complex. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government finalized several defense deals with Israel to purchase sophisticated missile technology and systems that would improve the operability of its offensive and defensive missile facilities.
India, on its part, is pursuing an ambitious regional agenda to be a superpower. US President Donald Trump’s National Security Strategy – which was released on December 18, 2017 — applauds India’s “leadership role in Indian Ocean security and throughout the broader region” to balance China in the Asian strategic setting. Indeed, for such a role, India requires a more lethal, resilient, and rapidly developing military force.
On May 20 last year, the Modi government announced its plans to spend $250 billion on the modernization of its armed forces over the next decade, as well as initiating 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in the defense sector. This follows a belief that the FDI in the defense sector “could be the most trusted route to technology transfer, which would help in increasing the defense production base and providing the much-needed impetus to self-reliance and indigenization in the defense sector”.
India has been importing military equipment including missile-related technologies and material from Israel since 1990. The leading Indian missile scientist, Dr Abdul Kalam – who went on to become the president of India — visited Israel in June 1996 and again in 1997 to seek its assistance in improving New Delhi’s missile program. Dr Kalam expressed interest in the surface-to-surface missile and theater missile defense systems, its technology and components. Consequently, Israel is currently the second-largest supplier of military equipment to India after Russia, with New Delhi being Tel Aviv’s largest arms purchaser.
In July 2017, the Indo-Israel defense cooperation elevated to a strategic partnership, with its strongest pillar being defense cooperation. This contributes constructively to the modernization of India’s armed forces. It was reported at the time that “India buys more than a $1 billion of equipment every year and that over 40% of Israel’s arms exports in 2012-16 were to India”.
India, on its part, is pursuing an ambitious regional agenda to be a superpower. US President Donald Trump’s National Security Strategy – which was released on December 18, 2017 — applauds India’s “leadership role in Indian Ocean security and throughout the broader region” to balance China in the Asian strategic setting. Indeed, for such a role, India requires a more lethal, resilient, and rapidly developing military force.
On May 20 last year, the Modi government announced its plans to spend $250 billion on the modernization of its armed forces over the next decade, as well as initiating 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in the defense sector. This follows a belief that the FDI in the defense sector “could be the most trusted route to technology transfer, which would help in increasing the defense production base and providing the much-needed impetus to self-reliance and indigenization in the defense sector”.
India has been importing military equipment including missile-related technologies and material from Israel since 1990. The leading Indian missile scientist, Dr Abdul Kalam – who went on to become the president of India — visited Israel in June 1996 and again in 1997 to seek its assistance in improving New Delhi’s missile program. Dr Kalam expressed interest in the surface-to-surface missile and theater missile defense systems, its technology and components. Consequently, Israel is currently the second-largest supplier of military equipment to India after Russia, with New Delhi being Tel Aviv’s largest arms purchaser.
In July 2017, the Indo-Israel defense cooperation elevated to a strategic partnership, with its strongest pillar being defense cooperation. This contributes constructively to the modernization of India’s armed forces. It was reported at the time that “India buys more than a $1 billion of equipment every year and that over 40% of Israel’s arms exports in 2012-16 were to India”.
