Israel’s IAI to supply air defense systems to India in $1.3 billion deals
Israel becoming one of the largest arms suppliers to India, which has spent some $100 billion on defense in the past decade.
By SETH J. FRANTZMANUpdated: OCTOBER 30, 2018 17:05LRSAM delivery ceremony.(photo credit: DEFENSE MINISTRY/IAI)
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced two deals in a week with India to supply anti-aircraft air defense for the army and supply missile defense for the Indian navy. Together the deals are worth $1.3 billion and are part of the increasing cooperation Israel’s defense industry has with India.On October 29, IAI announced a $550 million “mega-deal” to provide its Sky Capture command and control system for anti-aircraft defense for an army in Asia. The technology uses sensors and detection radars made by IAI and ELTA systems. The system is designed to provide short-range aerial defense for army units, such as bases and headquarters, and can be used with 40mm guns or eventually with MANPADs, or missiles, or other technologies.The second deal worth $770 million was signed on October 24 and foresees Israel developing LRSAM missile defense for seven ships in the navy. The contract is with India’s Bharat Electronics Limited, a local Indian contractor. Boaz Levy, IAI’s Executive Vice-President and General Manager of Systems, Missiles and Space Group, said the contracts illustrates how IAI has one of the best capabilities in the world and that the current deal is part of increasing cooperation in India. “We are speaking the same language now," he said, describing close work with local contractors on the programs. As Israel becomes one of the largest arms suppliers to India, it increasingly plays a key role in upgrading various systems for India’s armed forces, combining the high tech that Israel has with local contractors and know how.Last year, IAI signed a $1.6 billion deal to supply LRSAM air and missile defense for aircraft, and another deal for LRSAM for missile defense for the navy. It is part of India’s various global defense purchases that have added up to $100 billion in a decade and were estimated at $15.15 billion this year, according to a Defense News report in February.
