Israelis never tire of telling the story of David Ben-Gurion's great respect for Mahatma Gandhi. The founder of Israel, Ben-Gurion's few possessions when he quit active politics and retreated into a shack in a kibbutz in his late years included a portrait of India's father of the nation which enjoyed pride of place in his small study. So deep is the connection between India and Israel, they assure you.
It's an irony then that India and Israel established diplomatic ties only as late as 1992 though the Jewish nation was founded in 1948, a year after India became independent. "But the two countries were always natural allies," says Yossi Melman, award-winning Israeli journalist. And nowhere is this "natural alliance" more evident than in defence where Israel has become India's second-largest supplier; in 2009, the West Asian nation briefly overtook Russia, India's largest and the oldest defence supplier. For all to see, the business relationship is thriving: in the past decade alone, Israeli defence sales to India surpassed $10 billion and the exports are expected to grow faster in the coming years. However, there is a flipside to it: Indian officials and industry insiders say there is more to this "flourishing partnership" than meets the eye. There is widespread bribing of Indian officials by Israeli companies, they say.
Famed Jewish Smartness
Corruption charges fly, but India continues to gain a lot from Israel's cutting-edge warfare technologies. "Nobody can beat Israelis in peddling weaponry. They are very, very good at it. It is tempting too because most often, they offer cutting-edge technology," said a former army officer who added that within weeks of Indian agencies detecting secret tunnels across the border from hostile neighbour Pakistan, Israelis have begun to suggest that India buy their "hot systems" to detect tunnels—which were of great use for Israel in cracking down on "secret" tunnel supplies from Egypt to Palestinians in Gaza. Israel's enemies transported everything from food to missiles through those underground tunnels.
"India will need them now because it has been found that there are tunnels dug by Pakistan to infiltrate to India," an Israeli official said asking not to be named.
Israel, currently, is under pressure to step up defence sales to rev up its flagging economy. A Delhi-based defence expert says the fall-out with Turkey, one of the country's major buyers in the Middle East due to political differences, has begun to hurt. The single-biggest buyer of Israel's defence products now is India, the world's largest defence spender. Conversely, India currently faces the prospect of buying $200 million worth of ammunition immediately (and another $1.5 billion worth of arms later) to make up for losses in the recent fires at Indian Army ammunition depots. Certainly, there are elements of desperation as well as opportunity there, says the government official referring to Israel's aggressive defence pitches. "Of course, India needs them too," he adds.
Ties That Bind
Thanks to Israel's highly advanced sensors (radars of various types), infiltration levels from across the border, from hostile neighbour Pakistan, have rapidly fallen over the past decade. Defence purchases from Israel are proof that the country has vastly improved its low-intensity warfare prowess. "No other country could make such a big entry in such a short time as Israel did in India's defence business," says a government official who didn't wish to be identified. Sure, it was a fait accompli, he hastens to add. The official agrees completely with Melman: "Both needed each other."
Major India-Israel Deals
In the short run, India has gained a lot from defence cooperation with Israel, especially in low-intensity warfare
Lure of 'Liberal' Deals
In military parlance, it is called "convenience and comfort" of inking deals. Israeli defence companies "uncomplicated" what is otherwise a rigamarole, says another government official about the process of acquiring defence equipment. Arielle Kandel, an expert on India at the Jewish People Policy Institute, a Jerusalem-based think-tank, terms it flexibility. "Israel reacts faster and more flexibly to India's needs than most other countries," she adds.
Defence experts agree: unlike western arms companies, Israeli ones don't subject India to lengthy interviews about the intentions of a buy. Nor do they insist on stringent conditions, political or otherwise. Efraim Inbar, political science professor at Bar-Ilan University and the director of its Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, says, "Israel, unlike others, is very liberal when it comes to technology transfer." The "easy-peasy process" has helped India and Israel bind very quickly, he adds. Kandel talks about the key takeaway: Israeli products are cheaper. They just made things so simple, the second official adds, emphasising that besides existing projects, India is keen on acquiring low-intensity warfare systems such as Iron Dome and David's Sling from Israel. He asked not to be named.
Iron Dome, an anti-rocket warfare system made by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, has successfully intercepted and destroyed short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 4 to 70 km. Deployed two years ago in Israel, this 90kg mobile system has so far intercepted 93 rockets. Iron Dome, officials close to the matter confirm, has been highly effective in fighting terrorist group Hamas on Israel's Gaza border. Similarly, David's Sling has been highly potent in intercepting medium- to long-range rockets and cruise missiles. Israelis refer to it as the magic wand—it was built jointly by Rafael and American defence giant Raytheon.
"As far as I know Israelis have been hard-selling it (Iron Dome) and considering its use against attacks from close neighbourhoods," said a person close to the matter, requesting anonymity.
Hand over Fist
Neither Melman nor Inbar are surprised that Israeli firms get "blacklisted" for attempting to bribe Indian officials. The government of India has banned Israeli Military Industries (IMI) from doing business in India over bribery charges. Rumours taking rounds say IMI may look to bid for projects in India through its subsidiary, Israeli Weapons Industries. ET Magazine couldn't independently confirm such claims. Israeli officials didn't respond to questions related to the country's defence deals in India. Israeli companies, too, refused to comment.
Inbar, for his part, says, "Corruption [in defence deals] is a major hurdle ... I am aware of the charges of Israeli companies bribing Indian officials. That will have to be managed according to the laws of both the countries." Melman feels "it is part of the game" in the defence business.
The first government official agrees. "But there is a huge difference between the Russians and the Israelis. The Russians bribe only the leadership. The Israeli bribe all," he says laughing. Inbar nods in agreement, but argues, "It is not just the Israelis who are corrupt."
At least two defence officials say that Israel isn't just liberal and friendly with India — as Inbar and others point out—it is also keen to use India as a "neutral platform" to "manage its priorities". One of them elaborates: a few years ago Israel almost managed to get access to technology of Klub cruise missiles. These are a variant of the Russian Yakunt missiles that Iran possesses. But the "operation" was aborted just before Israelis could access it. Again, ET Magazine couldn't independently verify this incident.
A Little History
Kandel points out that defence ties between the two countries predate diplomatic relations by decades. According to declassified documents, Tel Aviv provided India military hardware during the 1962 war with China and later when India went to war with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971. Many years later in 1998, during the Kargil war, Israel, by then a staunch ally, promptly supplied India UAVs for high-altitude surveillance, laser-guided systems, etc. within a day of being asked for help.
By the early 1990s, the Soviet Union had disintegrated and India was scouting for defence technology and weapons in other markets in the face of heightened internal and external security threats, unsuccessfully. Around then, Israel's major partner South Africa was on the verge on unseating the apartheid government and the new political leadership would not have any truck with Israel, at least for the first few years of it coming to power in 1994.
"Israel found India almost the same way it found South Africa after the Islamic Revolution of 1979 [when Iran became a pariah state]. Until then Israel used to sell arms to Iran under the Shah regime," Melman says. By the early 1990s India, too, had begun to frantically look around for supplies, especially in the wake of the Mumbai serial blasts, but neither the Americans nor the Europeans were immediately ready to help the country with arms and technology. For them, India was still the Cold War ally of the Russians —smarting under unprecedented political crises, the Russians took many more years to resume defence supplies to India
At India's defence research agency DRDO, the admiration for Israel is nothing short of profound. "They are always willing to share technology, and they are willing to transfer knowledge — this will not happen with many countries... In this [DRDO-Israel] collaboration, they share the know-why with us," says W Selvamurthy, distinguished scientist and chief controller, research & development (life sciences & international cooperation) at DRDO, referring to his more than 10-year "active interaction" with Israeli defence firms and the government.
Selvamurthy speaks with a sense of awe about his visits to Israel to survey that country's "combat capabilities". He was enamoured of Iron Dome and of how unmanned aerial and ground vehicles work and keep a watch on its restive borders. "Besides, Israeli teams come and work in our laboratories. Our team goes and works in their laboratories and industries. There is a learning that is taking place which was not there when we buy things and integrate with existing products," avers Selvamurthy.
He says defence purchases and co-development between India and Israel are on a rapid ascent. Currently,DRDO is engaged in several co-development pacts with Israel companies such as Elisra, IAI, Elbit and others. "What we have done (and are doing) is not outright purchase of technology or equipment alone. We are involved in co-development," he says.
Benefactor's Role
Selvamurthy thinks India could use Israel as a springboard as it looks to produce indigenous defence products that can be sold in the global market. The time seems ripe, too, with most countries narrowing down investment in defence R&D, he says.
"It (Israel) has got a very strong industrial base...That country also has very strong technical cooperation with the US. Their scientists, their service officers - they have to serve two years in the armed forces (a big plus)," says Selvamurthy and hopes that DRDO records exponential growth thanks to Israel being a major partner. DRDO's major collaborations with Israeli companies fall in the areas of missiles, electronic warfare systems and main battle tanks. It is also looking at tying up with Israeli firms in developing unmanned aerial and ground vehicles.
Selvamurthy dwells at length on "active collaboration" in making medium-range surface to air missiles (MR-SAM; essentially integration of Barak NG missiles in the Indian Navy) — this is a joint venture project involvingIsrael Aerospace Industries (IAI), DRDO and Rafael.
The project, worth Rs 10,400 crore, would be India's biggest defence JV with a foreign country. There is a similar cooperation for long-range surface to air missiles. "In MR-SAM, some portion of the missile is developed here and some portion there. The integration is taking place here... Our scientists are positioned in Israel. One ship has already been fitted; the other is being done," Selvamurthy says, adding that DRDO is in a co-development initiative with Elbit on missile approach warning systems. There will be a lot of cooperation in developing directed energy weapons—such as fibre laser, high-powered micro-waves, etc, he said.
Questions about MR-SAM
Whatever Selvamurthi may say, at least two government officials suggest that the MR-SAM project, signed by India and Israel three days before the general election of 2009, has run into rough weather.
"The entire project is unwinding," a person close to then matter said, adding that several questions are being raised about the feasibility of the project. "The project has failed to meet deadlines and the contribution of individual players [especially that of DRDO] is not up to the mark," he said.
Senior DRDO officials, however, maintain that everything is "normal and going as planned".
Besides such projects, Israeli aggression in bidding for projects, especially those of upgradation, have come under sharp attack. Said a military official on condition of anonymity: "Israelis always bid the lowest and they naturally secure such deals. They also bribe Indian officials and get away with it... but if OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] go to court, the work will get hurt. Otherwise you end up getting sloppy products." As Indian Navy kickstarts the process of upgrading its fleet of Sea King helicopters, AgustaWestland, the OEM, has said that it alone can legitimately upgrade the helicopter. AgustaWestland spokesman Geoff Russell told ET Magazine, "AgustaWestland is the design authority and the owner of the Intellectual Property rights for the Sea King helicopters operated by the Indian Navy. Therefore, if upgrades/changes are made to the aircraft we are the only company that can ensure the continued airworthiness and flight safety of the aircraft. The reason for this is that AgustaWestland is the only company that has all the technical data to be able to check that changes to the airframe and the aircraft's systems will not compromise the flight safety of the aircraft."
Washington-based defence expert Robert Metzger plays the devil's advocate though: "I am aware of many companies - Israeli and others — who make a good business upgrading the equipment or systems originally built or provided by others. That is a form of competition, as to source, price and quality, which should be encouraged, in my opinion. If there are genuine IP [intellectual property] issues, such as claims of infringement, these can be pursued as commercial matters between the companies."
A Case of Over-dependence?
"All this explains why it is not always wise to put all eggs in one basket," argues another Indian official. "After all, we are the buyers. We are the ones spending. Customer is king," says he.
Metzger makes a point: "The Indo-Israeli partnership is sustainable but it should not be exclusive, as India should seek similar partnerships with other countries. Israel has proven a valuable partner to India and there are many indications it has been willing to share technology that is difficult [or impossible] to obtain from others. However, Israel may not have the best technology, for some missions, and may be less than the ideal partner, in terms of execution leading to true ToT [transfer of technology] and resulting indigenous India capabilities."
While many analysts think it is unwise to depend too much on a country "perilously placed" on the globe thanks to constant threat from its Arab neighbours and Iran, Metzger says India shouldn't be deterred from partnering with Israel because of some postulated "existential threat" to that country. "That gives more credit to such threats than they are due, in my opinion," he says.
Metzger acknowledges that one of the hurdles could be India's "traditional ties" with Iran. However, he expects India not to retreat from its "defence dealings" with Israel out of concerns for its own future and security. If India does so, that "would be seen as indulging the Iranian regime in ways that are both unnecessary and inappropriate, and as suggesting support for that regime that would provoke adverse reaction from many other countries who are aligned in resisting Iran's nuclear development", he says.
Competition, Threat
For Israel though there isn't much to worry about "continuity of deals" in India, the second official says. He says that a series of terror strikes, especially the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which saw, among others, an attack on a Jewish institution in Mumbai, have further strengthened India-Israel defence and homeland security ties. Besides, the DRDO has developed a great affinity for the Israelis. "Earlier it used to be the Russians," he says, adding, "Israel is the new Soviet Union".
Melman expects India-Israel ties to weather the storm of skepticism from both sides. According to him, India has a lot to gain from Israel in terms of "cutting-edge technology", especially in low-intensity warfare. The two countries also face similar threats and those threats are much more than they used to be, he notes. Melman says that he doesn't see the so-called existential threat to Israel posing any problem for the relationship. "What do you mean? You think Israel will be destroyed?" asks Melman with a contemptuous laugh.
Of course, those are "cosmic" questions says the second government official. Israel will survive until it has brute power, he says. Notably, the great writer and peacenik Amos Oz himself had admitted that military force is vital to Israel. "Without it we would not be able to survive a single day," Oz had said.
The official goes on: "I am worried more about wide-spread corruption and loosely drafted deals [that help companies get away with unfinished tasks] ... there is certainly Jewish cunning at play here [in India-Israel relations]. After all, they know we are a lazy yet greedy bunch of people. We have to be more businesslike and get what we want," he says.
"After all, defence is sheer business."
Common ground
- Ease in doing defence transactions
- India and Israel face similar threats from across their borders
- Many Israeli engineers had earlier worked in the Soviet military industry; so India could turn to Israeli firms for retrofitting ageing Soviet weapons
Other Recent purchases
* Artillery guns 130mm (being upgraded to 155mm) 430
* Battlefield surveillance radars (artillery) 250
* Battlefield surveillance radars hand-held (infantry) unspecified
* Electronic warfare system for INS VIRAT
* 160mm mortar ammunition 30,000 rounds
* 130mm artillery gun ammunition 50,000 rounds
* 125mm shells (for tanks) 100,000 rounds
* 5.56mm ammunition for rifles unspecified
* Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) 8 in 1999 for surveillance purposes (army) & 20 in 2000
* UAV requirements for Indian Navy (shipborne) 50
* Russian MI 35 helicopter prototype upgradation 25 (with Israeli avionics and night vision devices)
It's an irony then that India and Israel established diplomatic ties only as late as 1992 though the Jewish nation was founded in 1948, a year after India became independent. "But the two countries were always natural allies," says Yossi Melman, award-winning Israeli journalist. And nowhere is this "natural alliance" more evident than in defence where Israel has become India's second-largest supplier; in 2009, the West Asian nation briefly overtook Russia, India's largest and the oldest defence supplier. For all to see, the business relationship is thriving: in the past decade alone, Israeli defence sales to India surpassed $10 billion and the exports are expected to grow faster in the coming years. However, there is a flipside to it: Indian officials and industry insiders say there is more to this "flourishing partnership" than meets the eye. There is widespread bribing of Indian officials by Israeli companies, they say.
Famed Jewish Smartness
Corruption charges fly, but India continues to gain a lot from Israel's cutting-edge warfare technologies. "Nobody can beat Israelis in peddling weaponry. They are very, very good at it. It is tempting too because most often, they offer cutting-edge technology," said a former army officer who added that within weeks of Indian agencies detecting secret tunnels across the border from hostile neighbour Pakistan, Israelis have begun to suggest that India buy their "hot systems" to detect tunnels—which were of great use for Israel in cracking down on "secret" tunnel supplies from Egypt to Palestinians in Gaza. Israel's enemies transported everything from food to missiles through those underground tunnels.
"India will need them now because it has been found that there are tunnels dug by Pakistan to infiltrate to India," an Israeli official said asking not to be named.
| The Israeli 'Invasion' | |||||
| Israel is India's second-largest defence supplier, after Russia. With costs of Russian spare parts for replacement escalating by 300-500%, it won't be a surprise if Israel soon emerges as India's No. 1 supplier | |||||
| Key Areas of Cooperation | |||||
| Submarine-launched cruise missiles | Micro-satellite systems for surveillance | Laser-guided systems and precision-guided munitions | Anti-ballistic missile systems | Upgradation of all Soviet-origin aircraft, artillery, tanks, etc. | Various radars |
 |  |  |  |  |  |
Israel, currently, is under pressure to step up defence sales to rev up its flagging economy. A Delhi-based defence expert says the fall-out with Turkey, one of the country's major buyers in the Middle East due to political differences, has begun to hurt. The single-biggest buyer of Israel's defence products now is India, the world's largest defence spender. Conversely, India currently faces the prospect of buying $200 million worth of ammunition immediately (and another $1.5 billion worth of arms later) to make up for losses in the recent fires at Indian Army ammunition depots. Certainly, there are elements of desperation as well as opportunity there, says the government official referring to Israel's aggressive defence pitches. "Of course, India needs them too," he adds.
Ties That Bind
Thanks to Israel's highly advanced sensors (radars of various types), infiltration levels from across the border, from hostile neighbour Pakistan, have rapidly fallen over the past decade. Defence purchases from Israel are proof that the country has vastly improved its low-intensity warfare prowess. "No other country could make such a big entry in such a short time as Israel did in India's defence business," says a government official who didn't wish to be identified. Sure, it was a fait accompli, he hastens to add. The official agrees completely with Melman: "Both needed each other."
Major India-Israel Deals
In the short run, India has gained a lot from defence cooperation with Israel, especially in low-intensity warfare
| 1996 | India bought an air combat manoeuvring system from Israel which was installed at the Jamnagar air base |  |
| 1996 | The same year, a $10-million deal was made to provide two Dvora MK-2 patrol boats for the Indian Navy |  |
| 1996 | Israeli firm Elta won a multi-million-dollar contract to upgrade the avionics on India's MiG-21 fighters |  |
| 1999 | Israel supplied arms, including ordnance, laser-guided bombs, and unmanned aerial vehicles, during the 1999 Kargil War between India and Pakistan |  |
| 2008 | Rafael was awarded a $325-million contract to supply IAF with Spyder missile systems armed with Python and Derby missiles |  |
| 2009-2010 | Israel delivered Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control Systems, equipped on Russian-built Ilyushin II-76s, to India |  |
| 2010 | The two countries signed a $1.4-billion contract for the development and procurement of Barak 8 medium-range surface-to-air missiles |  |
Lure of 'Liberal' Deals
In military parlance, it is called "convenience and comfort" of inking deals. Israeli defence companies "uncomplicated" what is otherwise a rigamarole, says another government official about the process of acquiring defence equipment. Arielle Kandel, an expert on India at the Jewish People Policy Institute, a Jerusalem-based think-tank, terms it flexibility. "Israel reacts faster and more flexibly to India's needs than most other countries," she adds.
Defence experts agree: unlike western arms companies, Israeli ones don't subject India to lengthy interviews about the intentions of a buy. Nor do they insist on stringent conditions, political or otherwise. Efraim Inbar, political science professor at Bar-Ilan University and the director of its Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, says, "Israel, unlike others, is very liberal when it comes to technology transfer." The "easy-peasy process" has helped India and Israel bind very quickly, he adds. Kandel talks about the key takeaway: Israeli products are cheaper. They just made things so simple, the second official adds, emphasising that besides existing projects, India is keen on acquiring low-intensity warfare systems such as Iron Dome and David's Sling from Israel. He asked not to be named.
Iron Dome, an anti-rocket warfare system made by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, has successfully intercepted and destroyed short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 4 to 70 km. Deployed two years ago in Israel, this 90kg mobile system has so far intercepted 93 rockets. Iron Dome, officials close to the matter confirm, has been highly effective in fighting terrorist group Hamas on Israel's Gaza border. Similarly, David's Sling has been highly potent in intercepting medium- to long-range rockets and cruise missiles. Israelis refer to it as the magic wand—it was built jointly by Rafael and American defence giant Raytheon.
"As far as I know Israelis have been hard-selling it (Iron Dome) and considering its use against attacks from close neighbourhoods," said a person close to the matter, requesting anonymity.
 |
Neither Melman nor Inbar are surprised that Israeli firms get "blacklisted" for attempting to bribe Indian officials. The government of India has banned Israeli Military Industries (IMI) from doing business in India over bribery charges. Rumours taking rounds say IMI may look to bid for projects in India through its subsidiary, Israeli Weapons Industries. ET Magazine couldn't independently confirm such claims. Israeli officials didn't respond to questions related to the country's defence deals in India. Israeli companies, too, refused to comment.
Inbar, for his part, says, "Corruption [in defence deals] is a major hurdle ... I am aware of the charges of Israeli companies bribing Indian officials. That will have to be managed according to the laws of both the countries." Melman feels "it is part of the game" in the defence business.
The first government official agrees. "But there is a huge difference between the Russians and the Israelis. The Russians bribe only the leadership. The Israeli bribe all," he says laughing. Inbar nods in agreement, but argues, "It is not just the Israelis who are corrupt."
At least two defence officials say that Israel isn't just liberal and friendly with India — as Inbar and others point out—it is also keen to use India as a "neutral platform" to "manage its priorities". One of them elaborates: a few years ago Israel almost managed to get access to technology of Klub cruise missiles. These are a variant of the Russian Yakunt missiles that Iran possesses. But the "operation" was aborted just before Israelis could access it. Again, ET Magazine couldn't independently verify this incident.
A Little History
Kandel points out that defence ties between the two countries predate diplomatic relations by decades. According to declassified documents, Tel Aviv provided India military hardware during the 1962 war with China and later when India went to war with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971. Many years later in 1998, during the Kargil war, Israel, by then a staunch ally, promptly supplied India UAVs for high-altitude surveillance, laser-guided systems, etc. within a day of being asked for help.
By the early 1990s, the Soviet Union had disintegrated and India was scouting for defence technology and weapons in other markets in the face of heightened internal and external security threats, unsuccessfully. Around then, Israel's major partner South Africa was on the verge on unseating the apartheid government and the new political leadership would not have any truck with Israel, at least for the first few years of it coming to power in 1994.
"Israel found India almost the same way it found South Africa after the Islamic Revolution of 1979 [when Iran became a pariah state]. Until then Israel used to sell arms to Iran under the Shah regime," Melman says. By the early 1990s India, too, had begun to frantically look around for supplies, especially in the wake of the Mumbai serial blasts, but neither the Americans nor the Europeans were immediately ready to help the country with arms and technology. For them, India was still the Cold War ally of the Russians —smarting under unprecedented political crises, the Russians took many more years to resume defence supplies to India
At India's defence research agency DRDO, the admiration for Israel is nothing short of profound. "They are always willing to share technology, and they are willing to transfer knowledge — this will not happen with many countries... In this [DRDO-Israel] collaboration, they share the know-why with us," says W Selvamurthy, distinguished scientist and chief controller, research & development (life sciences & international cooperation) at DRDO, referring to his more than 10-year "active interaction" with Israeli defence firms and the government.
Selvamurthy speaks with a sense of awe about his visits to Israel to survey that country's "combat capabilities". He was enamoured of Iron Dome and of how unmanned aerial and ground vehicles work and keep a watch on its restive borders. "Besides, Israeli teams come and work in our laboratories. Our team goes and works in their laboratories and industries. There is a learning that is taking place which was not there when we buy things and integrate with existing products," avers Selvamurthy.
He says defence purchases and co-development between India and Israel are on a rapid ascent. Currently,DRDO is engaged in several co-development pacts with Israel companies such as Elisra, IAI, Elbit and others. "What we have done (and are doing) is not outright purchase of technology or equipment alone. We are involved in co-development," he says.
Benefactor's Role
 |
"It (Israel) has got a very strong industrial base...That country also has very strong technical cooperation with the US. Their scientists, their service officers - they have to serve two years in the armed forces (a big plus)," says Selvamurthy and hopes that DRDO records exponential growth thanks to Israel being a major partner. DRDO's major collaborations with Israeli companies fall in the areas of missiles, electronic warfare systems and main battle tanks. It is also looking at tying up with Israeli firms in developing unmanned aerial and ground vehicles.
Selvamurthy dwells at length on "active collaboration" in making medium-range surface to air missiles (MR-SAM; essentially integration of Barak NG missiles in the Indian Navy) — this is a joint venture project involvingIsrael Aerospace Industries (IAI), DRDO and Rafael.
The project, worth Rs 10,400 crore, would be India's biggest defence JV with a foreign country. There is a similar cooperation for long-range surface to air missiles. "In MR-SAM, some portion of the missile is developed here and some portion there. The integration is taking place here... Our scientists are positioned in Israel. One ship has already been fitted; the other is being done," Selvamurthy says, adding that DRDO is in a co-development initiative with Elbit on missile approach warning systems. There will be a lot of cooperation in developing directed energy weapons—such as fibre laser, high-powered micro-waves, etc, he said.
Questions about MR-SAM
Whatever Selvamurthi may say, at least two government officials suggest that the MR-SAM project, signed by India and Israel three days before the general election of 2009, has run into rough weather.
"The entire project is unwinding," a person close to then matter said, adding that several questions are being raised about the feasibility of the project. "The project has failed to meet deadlines and the contribution of individual players [especially that of DRDO] is not up to the mark," he said.
Senior DRDO officials, however, maintain that everything is "normal and going as planned".
Besides such projects, Israeli aggression in bidding for projects, especially those of upgradation, have come under sharp attack. Said a military official on condition of anonymity: "Israelis always bid the lowest and they naturally secure such deals. They also bribe Indian officials and get away with it... but if OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] go to court, the work will get hurt. Otherwise you end up getting sloppy products." As Indian Navy kickstarts the process of upgrading its fleet of Sea King helicopters, AgustaWestland, the OEM, has said that it alone can legitimately upgrade the helicopter. AgustaWestland spokesman Geoff Russell told ET Magazine, "AgustaWestland is the design authority and the owner of the Intellectual Property rights for the Sea King helicopters operated by the Indian Navy. Therefore, if upgrades/changes are made to the aircraft we are the only company that can ensure the continued airworthiness and flight safety of the aircraft. The reason for this is that AgustaWestland is the only company that has all the technical data to be able to check that changes to the airframe and the aircraft's systems will not compromise the flight safety of the aircraft."
Washington-based defence expert Robert Metzger plays the devil's advocate though: "I am aware of many companies - Israeli and others — who make a good business upgrading the equipment or systems originally built or provided by others. That is a form of competition, as to source, price and quality, which should be encouraged, in my opinion. If there are genuine IP [intellectual property] issues, such as claims of infringement, these can be pursued as commercial matters between the companies."
A Case of Over-dependence?
"All this explains why it is not always wise to put all eggs in one basket," argues another Indian official. "After all, we are the buyers. We are the ones spending. Customer is king," says he.
Metzger makes a point: "The Indo-Israeli partnership is sustainable but it should not be exclusive, as India should seek similar partnerships with other countries. Israel has proven a valuable partner to India and there are many indications it has been willing to share technology that is difficult [or impossible] to obtain from others. However, Israel may not have the best technology, for some missions, and may be less than the ideal partner, in terms of execution leading to true ToT [transfer of technology] and resulting indigenous India capabilities."
While many analysts think it is unwise to depend too much on a country "perilously placed" on the globe thanks to constant threat from its Arab neighbours and Iran, Metzger says India shouldn't be deterred from partnering with Israel because of some postulated "existential threat" to that country. "That gives more credit to such threats than they are due, in my opinion," he says.
Metzger acknowledges that one of the hurdles could be India's "traditional ties" with Iran. However, he expects India not to retreat from its "defence dealings" with Israel out of concerns for its own future and security. If India does so, that "would be seen as indulging the Iranian regime in ways that are both unnecessary and inappropriate, and as suggesting support for that regime that would provoke adverse reaction from many other countries who are aligned in resisting Iran's nuclear development", he says.
Competition, Threat
For Israel though there isn't much to worry about "continuity of deals" in India, the second official says. He says that a series of terror strikes, especially the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which saw, among others, an attack on a Jewish institution in Mumbai, have further strengthened India-Israel defence and homeland security ties. Besides, the DRDO has developed a great affinity for the Israelis. "Earlier it used to be the Russians," he says, adding, "Israel is the new Soviet Union".
Melman expects India-Israel ties to weather the storm of skepticism from both sides. According to him, India has a lot to gain from Israel in terms of "cutting-edge technology", especially in low-intensity warfare. The two countries also face similar threats and those threats are much more than they used to be, he notes. Melman says that he doesn't see the so-called existential threat to Israel posing any problem for the relationship. "What do you mean? You think Israel will be destroyed?" asks Melman with a contemptuous laugh.
Of course, those are "cosmic" questions says the second government official. Israel will survive until it has brute power, he says. Notably, the great writer and peacenik Amos Oz himself had admitted that military force is vital to Israel. "Without it we would not be able to survive a single day," Oz had said.
The official goes on: "I am worried more about wide-spread corruption and loosely drafted deals [that help companies get away with unfinished tasks] ... there is certainly Jewish cunning at play here [in India-Israel relations]. After all, they know we are a lazy yet greedy bunch of people. We have to be more businesslike and get what we want," he says.
"After all, defence is sheer business."
Common ground
- Ease in doing defence transactions
- India and Israel face similar threats from across their borders
- Many Israeli engineers had earlier worked in the Soviet military industry; so India could turn to Israeli firms for retrofitting ageing Soviet weapons
Other Recent purchases
* Artillery guns 130mm (being upgraded to 155mm) 430
* Battlefield surveillance radars (artillery) 250
* Battlefield surveillance radars hand-held (infantry) unspecified
* Electronic warfare system for INS VIRAT
* 160mm mortar ammunition 30,000 rounds
* 130mm artillery gun ammunition 50,000 rounds
* 125mm shells (for tanks) 100,000 rounds
* 5.56mm ammunition for rifles unspecified
* Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) 8 in 1999 for surveillance purposes (army) & 20 in 2000
* UAV requirements for Indian Navy (shipborne) 50
* Russian MI 35 helicopter prototype upgradation 25 (with Israeli avionics and night vision devices)
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