New Delhi: India and Israel have taken another step towards deepening their strategic partnership by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation, focusing on technology sharing, co-development, and co-production of advanced military systems.
The agreement was signed during the 17th meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Defence Cooperation held in Tel Aviv. The meeting was co-chaired by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Maj Gen Amir Baram, Director General of Israel’s Ministry of Defence.
According to India’s Defence Ministry, “The MoU will provide a unified vision and policy direction to deepen the already strong defence cooperation between the two countries.”
The new understanding identifies a wide range of areas for collaboration, including strategic dialogues, training, industrial cooperation, science and technology, research and development, innovation, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.
During the meeting, both sides reviewed ongoing defence projects and noted that India and Israel continue to benefit from each other’s strengths. The discussions also focused on future technology partnerships, enhancing operational capabilities, and addressing shared security challenges such as terrorism. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to tackle these threats collectively.
India and Israel have a long-standing defence relationship based on mutual trust and shared security interests. According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), between 2020 and 2024, India was the world’s second-largest arms importer, with Israel as its third-largest supplier, contributing 13 per cent of India’s total imports.
India has procured a wide range of weapon systems from Israel and collaborated on several “Make in India” projects involving unmanned aerial vehicles, missiles, precision-guided weapons, and surveillance systems. The two nations also share intelligence on terrorism and regional threats, particularly concerning Pakistan and militant groups in Kashmir, and regularly participate in joint exercises such as “Blue Flag” to improve tactical coordination and interoperability.
BI Bureau
