India

The Indian government recently approved a plan to procure ten new missile-armed drones from Israel. The proposed sale of the Heron TP to India had been on the table since 2012, but, only after the election of the new Modi government, did it receive the necessary political backing.

The Indian Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), the highest executive body that takes a call on defense matters, has cleared the acquisition of two Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) platforms, from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) at a cost of US$1.1 billion (Rs 7,500 crore).

The fourth part of our photo report highlighting UAV topics from the DEFEXPO 2018 exhibition in India.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar sends a clear message to France - the locally built Sukhoi-30MKI fighters are adequate for the IAF requirement in case New Delhi decided not to procure Rafale

India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted test firing of new penetration-blast and Thermobaric (TB) Ammunition for 120mm tank guns used on the indigenous Arjun Tank. The new round employs a fuel-air explosive (thermobaric) chemical compound designed to defeat ballistic armor and fortification (such as concrete bunkers).

Twenty-eight Israeli companies will present a wide range of advanced technologies – many of them operational – including sophisticated sensors and systems protecting borders and sensitive facilities, robotic and automotive logistics, electro-optics for artillery and infantry, airborne satellite communications, fire control solutions, tactical medical equipment, and more. See Defense-Update video coverage of Defexpo.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced today it has been awarded an additional, $630 million- contract for the supply of LRSAM air & missile defense systems for four ships of the Indian navy. The type of ships was not released but are likely to be Project 15B Visakhapatnam-class missile destroyers, scheduled for commissioning from 2018 through 2024.

India tested today an air-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic attack missile on an Indian Air Force (IAF) Sukhoi Su-30 MKI aircraft. The missile was not launched on this test, as the flight was designed to test the weapon's aircraft integration.

The two consecutive tests took place around midnight today, from the Indian P15A destroyer, INS Kolkata. The Barak-8 / LRSAM missile is being developed in joint collaboration by India and Israel.

India is likely to recompete the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) program, inviting bidders to compete on the production of 90 fighter jets for the Indian Air Force at a cost of around $30 billion. The RFP will likely recompete all the types that have already been evaluated by the IAF

Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and the Indian Reliance Defence company have signed today at Defexpo 2016 a joint venture (JV) that will provide the local content of major defense programs Rafael is involved with, estimated to be worth billions of dollars.

“The Indian move from buying military hardware abroad (BUY) to producing such systems in country (MAKE) is an important development for RAFAEL, as it enables us to exploit one of our major advantages as a developer – our ability to cooperate, transfer know how and support local production"

The Indian Tapas 201 remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) made its first flight on November 16, the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) announced. The aircraft, formerly known as 'Rustom II,' was developed by the DRDO's Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE). The flight took place at the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, in the south of India.

For three decades Israel and India are maintaining close defense relations, the dialog is conducted at low key, but is ever growing, spanning all military services, government and local authorities and security services.