WEBDESK: The India–Israel defence relationship has significantly evolved from discreet, shadowy cooperation in its early decades to a prominent and strategic partnership, marked by open diplomatic ties and robust collaboration in advanced military technology.
India and Israel built a strong defence partnership starting in the 1960s due to shared security needs and formalised their ties in 1992.
According to “India’s Israel Policy,” a book by PR Kumaraswamy, India quietly reached out to Israel for help as early as the 1962 war with China.
PR Kumaraswamy is a professor of Middle Eastern Studies who specializes in Israeli politics at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
During both the 1962 Sino-Indian War and the 1965 India–Pakistan War, Israel supplied India with artillery shells and other military support, though this remained largely unknown to the public at the time.
This is another manifestation of the Israeli-Indian nexus, that is being seen as a threat to regional peace.
This ancient growing defence alliance between India and Israel, the India-Israel nexus, is raising global concerns as their deepening military cooperation is seen as a major threat to regional and international peace.
Reports suggest this collaboration is not only fuelling unrest in the region but also posing significant dangers to global stability.
Early contacts & covert cooperation
Before formal diplomatic relations began in 1992, India and Israel were already working together in secret, mainly in the defence and intelligence sectors.
During the 1962 war with China and the 1965 war with Pakistan, Israel quietly supplied India with artillery shells and ammunition.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi approved backchannel contacts with the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad.
The goal was to counter Pakistani and Chinese support for insurgent groups operating in or against India.
1991–1992: Formal diplomatic relations
With the Cold War ending and the Soviet Union collapsing, India needed new sources for arms imports.
At the same time, Israel wanted to expand its arms industry by entering new markets.
In January 1992, India and Israel formally established diplomatic relations.
This allowed the two countries to work together more openly, especially in the field of defence.
Rapid expansion of defence ties
By the late 1990s, Israel had become one of India’s top three defence suppliers, along with Russia and France.
From almost no exports in 1992, Israeli defence sales to India crossed $1 billion per year by the late 2000s.
Israel offered advanced technology that countries like the United States and those in Europe were often reluctant to provide directly to India.
Kargil War-1999: A turning point
India’s 1999 conflict with Pakistan in the Kargil region marked a major shift in the India–Israel defence relationship.
During the war, Israel provided India with surveillance drones (Searcher UAVs), laser-guided bombs adapted for India’s Mirage-2000 fighter jets, and real-time intelligence.
This timely support proved Israel’s value as a dependable partner during times of crisis.
Major defence deals
India and Israel signed several high-value defence agreements in the 2000s.
These included:
- A $1.1 billion deal in 2004 to buy three Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS), placed on Russian IL-76 aircraft.
- The purchase of Barak-1 missiles to protect Indian naval ships from anti-ship missiles.
- Becoming India’s main supplier of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including the Heron and Searcher models.
- Joint development of the Barak-8 (also known as LRSAM), a long-range surface-to-air missile, in partnership with India’s DRDO.
- Sales of radars, night-vision devices, secure communication systems, and other electronic warfare equipment.
By 2010, India had signed defence contracts worth over $5 billion with Israel. India had become Israel’s largest buyer of military equipment.
Intelligence cooperation
Israel and India also developed intelligence ties, especially to counter Pakistan and prevent the spread of nuclear and missile technology.
Mossad and India’s intelligence agency RAW worked together, including in counter-terrorism training.
After the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, Israeli security advisors helped Indian agencies improve homeland security systems.
Political sensitivities
The United States, while cautious about directly supplying India with certain military technologies, allowed Israel to pass them on instead.
According to Kumaraswamy, this made Israel a useful bridge between India and Western defence technology.
India’s objectives
Kumaraswamy explains that India’s decision to work closely with Israel was based on practical goals, not politics. These included:
- Access to high-end weapons and equipment.
- Quick delivery and flexible customisation of systems.
- Reliable support during emergencies.
- Israeli cooperation with Indian public defence firms and willingness to share technical knowledge.
Important statistics, facts
Between 2002 and 2009, Israel was India’s second-biggest arms supplier after Russia. In some years, nearly half of Israel’s arms exports went to India.
In terms of value, India was Israel’s number one arms buyer during the 2000s.
Leading Israeli defence firms involved in these deals included Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Elbit Systems, and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
India–Israel defence relationship: Conclusion
In conclusion, Kumaraswamy writes that India–Israel defence relationship formed the foundation of the India–Israel nexus.
He argues this bond was based on ‘shared security concerns’ and ‘practical needs’, not any ideological alignment.
Despite changes in India’s political leadership, defence cooperation with Israel remained and it continued to grow.
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