What Happened
- External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, addressing the all-party meeting on the West Asia crisis, emphasised that Israel helped India during its military conflicts — specifically during the Kargil War (1999) — and described Israel as a key partner for India's access to critical defence technologies.
- Jaishankar's statement was partly a response to Opposition criticism of India's tilt toward Israel during the Iran war, and served to ground the bilateral relationship in a concrete historical record of Israeli support during India's hour of need.
- The remarks underlined the strategic depth of India-Israel ties, which go beyond commercial defence procurement to include technology co-development (Barak-8 missile system), intelligence sharing, and joint training.
- India is Israel's largest defence customer, accounting for approximately 34% of Israeli arms exports between 2020 and 2024, with bilateral defence trade valued at approximately $20.5 billion over the same period.
Static Topic Bridges
Israel's Critical Support to India During the Kargil War (1999)
The Kargil War (May–July 1999) was fought between India and Pakistan-backed infiltrators in the high-altitude Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir. India faced significant challenges in dislodging well-entrenched Pakistani soldiers from mountain peaks, as conventional artillery was often ineffective at those altitudes. The situation was compounded by India's international isolation following the Pokhran-II nuclear tests (May 1998), which triggered sanctions from the U.S. and other Western nations, restricting defence supplies. Israel stepped in discreetly, providing precision-guided munitions and surveillance technology that proved decisive.
- Kargil War duration: May 3 – July 26, 1999 (Operation Vijay)
- India's challenge: dislodging entrenched positions at 15,000–18,000 feet altitude
- Israeli assistance: Litening targeting pods (for Mirage 2000 aircraft), laser-guided bombs, Heron and Searcher UAVs
- Pokhran-II context: India tested five nuclear devices (May 11–13, 1998) leading to U.S. and Western sanctions; Israel was not bound by those sanctions
- India-Israel formal relations: established January 1992; Kargil was the first major test of the strategic relationship
- Post-Kargil: India-Israel defence trade grew from negligible levels to approximately $9 billion between 1999 and 2010
Connection to this news: Jaishankar's invocation of Kargil is not merely historical nostalgia — it establishes that India-Israel defence cooperation is a relationship of strategic mutual dependence tested in actual conflict, not just a commercial procurement arrangement.
India-Israel Barak-8 Missile System: A Model for Defence Co-development
The Barak-8 (also known as LR-SAM/MR-SAM — Long Range/Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile) is a jointly developed air defence system produced by India's DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). Designed to intercept aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, and ballistic missiles, the Barak-8 has been inducted into the Indian Navy (ship-borne version) and the Indian Army and Air Force (land-based MR-SAM variant). The programme represents India's most significant defence co-development relationship with any foreign partner and a template for the "Make in India" defence manufacturing vision.
- Initial contract: $1.1 billion signed in February 2009 for naval Barak-8 system
- Subsequent deal: approximately $1.6 billion (April 2017) for MR-SAM, plus $630 million for naval version
- Jointly developed by: DRDO (India) and IAI (Israel); also involves Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for Indian production
- Intercept altitude: up to 70 km (extended version); intercepts threats at altitudes between 500 metres and 16 km
- Inducted by: Indian Navy (INS-launched), Indian Army and Air Force (land-based)
- Significance for "Make in India": approximately 50% local content in Indian-produced variants
Connection to this news: The Barak-8 exemplifies why Jaishankar describes Israel as "key to defence tech" — it is not just a seller but a co-developer that has transferred cutting-edge missile technology to India in ways no Western supplier has matched.
India's Defence Technology Ecosystem and Strategic Partnerships
India has been working to reduce its dependence on a single defence supplier (Russia historically accounted for approximately 65% of India's defence imports) by diversifying through technology transfer and co-production agreements. Israel, France (Rafale, submarines), the U.S. (C-17s, P-8Is, Apache helicopters), and Russia (Su-30MKIs, S-400) now form India's multi-supplier defence ecosystem. The Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 prioritises procurement categories with technology transfer — "Make in India" (IDDM category), followed by Buy Indian and Buy & Make (Indian) — to develop domestic defence manufacturing.
- Russia's historical share of India's defence imports: approximately 65% (declining)
- India's defence budget (2024–25): approximately ₹6.21 lakh crore ($75 billion); capital outlay approximately ₹1.72 lakh crore
- Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020: replaces DPP 2016; mandates indigenisation in procurement
- Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured (IDDM): highest procurement priority under DAP 2020
- India's defence exports target: ₹50,000 crore ($6 billion) by 2028–29
- Israel accounts for: approximately 34% of Israeli arms exports globally going to India (2020–2024)
Connection to this news: Israel's willingness to co-develop (Barak-8) and technology transfer (Litening pods, loitering munitions) sets it apart from suppliers who insist on keeping advanced technologies proprietary — making it a preferred partner in India's effort to build a self-reliant defence industrial base.
Key Facts & Data
- Kargil War: May 3 – July 26, 1999; Indian code name: Operation Vijay
- Israeli Kargil assistance: Litening pods, laser-guided bombs, Heron/Searcher UAVs
- India-Israel defence trade (2020–2024): approximately $20.5 billion
- India is Israel's largest defence customer: approximately 34% of Israeli arms exports
- Barak-8/MR-SAM: jointly developed by DRDO and IAI; contracted value exceeds $3 billion
- India's current defence import diversification: Israel, Russia, France, USA as key suppliers
- DAP 2020 highest procurement priority: IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)