More India-Israel joint defence projects on anvil

Reflecting rapid expansion in military ties, Israel has said it was ready to share cutting-edge defence technologies with India and both countries will go for co-development of a number of key weapon systems soon.

Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Ya'alon said both countries have overcome hurdles in co-development of Barak 8 missile defence system and work on another key project of aerial defence systems was on track.

At the end of his India visit, Ya'alon said his talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar were very "satisfying" and that his country was ready to have manufacturing bases in India for certain weapons systems and military hardware.

India is Israel's largest buyer of military hardware and it was the first visit by any Israeli Defence Minister to this country after they established full diplomatic ties in 1992.

Asked about status of two key projects, Barak 8 missile defence system and aerial defence systems, Ya'alon said both the projects are important and they are going ahead despite having some initial difficulties.

"We are moving forward. We had some difficulties. We overcame it together. Both these projects are important for us," Ya'alon told PTI in an interview here.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) are jointly developing the Barak 8 missile defence system.

Asked whether slow decision making process in defence sector in India was affecting certain projects, Ya'alon said, "We have to overcome bureaucratic obstacles in order to do things at higher speed."

Praising Modi's 'Make in India' initiative, he said Israel wants to take advantage of it and added that the NDA government has brought a new vigour to bilateral defence ties.

"Modi's concept of Make in India is encouraging. We are flexible to make everything convenient to India," he said.

Replying to a question on whether Israel was interested in participating in upgrading of India's tank systems, he did not give a specific reply but said "we are interested in all that is proposed by the Indian government and the Defence Ministry".

On whether new defence co-development projects between the two countries are in the works, he replied in the affirmative and said his country was ready to set up manufacturing bases in India.

"Yes, all kind of cooperation, whether it is to share technologies or to manufacture in India," he said.