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India to acquire hi-tech Israeli military equipment

Josy Joseph in New Delhi

India would be acquiring sophisticated reconnaissance equipment from Israel, as the two countries intensify their cooperation in a range of fields, including defence.

Government officials said that these products range from unmanned aerial vehicles to electronic sensors, to be used for fencing the Line of Control.

A senior defence ministry official said, "Some of India's most sophisticated reconnaissance equipment in any future war would be made in Israel."

While defence purchases are set to scale new heights, the two countries are also constantly sharing intelligence on terrorism.

Officials in Indian intelligence agencies confirmed that there is regular exchange of notes.

"Israel has been fighting militancy for years. They have a wealth of knowledge, which would be useful," a senior intelligence official said.

India-Israel cooperation on terrorism has been made official through the Joint Working Group between the two countries.

Officials in intelligence agencies and the armed forces said Israel's most valuable contribution to India's fight against terrorism are the hi-tech gadgets that now India is acquiring from Israel.

"It is only now that the US is ready to assist us with good quality UAVs and electronic sensors. Israel was the only country that was ready to sell us state-of-art items for surveillance even before the new awareness about terrorism dawned," a senior army official said.

According to senior defence ministry officials, India is at present inducting Israeli UAVs into all three armed forces.

While the army already has them in service, after detailed field tests in Jammu and Kashmir and in western sector, the navy and airforce are at present receiving searchers from Israel.

Army officials said that UAVs are 'effective in monitoring' the movements across the Line of Control.

The Israeli assistance in fighting terrorism would also be visible in the proposed electronic fencing of certain portions of the 760-kilometre-long LoC.

Israel has offered to sell India electronic sensors and other electronic counter measures, sources said.

Though, Israel foreign minister Shimon Peres who met Defence Minister George Fernandes on Tuesday, said he did not discuss any defence issues, sources said that Israel has assured India of the availability of hi-tech equipment such as Greenpine radar system and Phalcon airborne early warning systems.

India's 130-mm guns are also being upgraded to 155-mm calibre at the Gun Carriage Factory, Jabalpur, based on technology from Israel.

Initially, GCF will assemble 180 such gun systems with kits imported from Israel, followed by 300 guns to be made indigenously.

Israel is also providing some radar jamming equipment for the upgradation of MIG-21 fighter aircraft.

But there are several officials who doubt the effectiveness of Israeli inputs.

"Though both India and Israel have common problem of Islamic militancy, they are almost mutually exclusive. The Palestine and Kashmiri groups are entirely different, except for the possible presence of Al Qaeda and its splinter groups in both the regions," said a senior Indian intelligence official.

While Kashmiri militancy remains 'almost completely funded by Pakistan', Palestine groups have 'completely different supporters and countries supporting them'.

Air Commodore (retd) Jasjit Singh, who was heading Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis for years, said, "They (Israelis) have a lot of experience. But there is very little in common between the two problems, except religion and jihad. There is no evidence linking Hamas with Jaish-e-Mohammed or any other group."

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