India to enter a $777 million defence contract with Israel
India is leaving no stone unturned to boost its missile defence capabilities on a scale that is quite literally unprecedented. After having recently signed the US $ five billion S-400 air system defence deal with Russia, India has entered a defence contract with Israel wherein Israel is to supply missile defence systems to India worth $777 million.
The S-400 is a highly sophisticated system in itself. The impressive system’s radar has a range of a thousand kilometres. It can track several targets simultaneously and launch missiles aimed at such targets on its own. It can combat with up to a mind-boggling thirty-six targets at once and simultaneously launch seventy-two missiles. This is why the world was surprised when India felt the need to engage in yet another missile defence system and enter a defence contract with Israel.
What does the defence contract with Israel entail?
The Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has made an announcement stating that the organisation has grabbed the Indian contract meant for the supply of long-range surface-to-air missile (LRSAM) defence systems. These systems are meant for the Indian Navy.
The defence contract with Israel entails that Israel supplies these system considered to be the naval equivalent of anti-missile defence system Barak 8.
The statement the Israeli company also said that the main contractor for the deal will be India’s state-owned company Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and is also the body that will be signing the defence contract with Israel.
If reports are to be believed then seven of India’s naval warships are going to be armed with the defence system.
India and Israel share a very close relation that they have enjoyed through changing international scenarios; these relations are close even in the defence sector. Israel is coveted as time-tested ally for India and the fourth largest arms and ammunition supplier to India. This defence contract with Israel is definitely a step towards strengthening ties between the two countries.
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