Tel Aviv/Washington/New Delhi: Amid escalating global conflicts—from Ukraine to Gaza, and rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait—India is emerging as a potential global weapons manufacturing hub. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans to jointly produce weapons with India, marking a significant step in international defense collaboration. Meanwhile, the United States has sent a congressional delegation to India to explore co-development and co-production of defense systems.
Netanyahu emphasized that producing weapons in India and Germany will reduce Israel’s dependence on U.S. military aid, ensure faster supply chains, and strengthen strategic alliances. “During the Gaza conflict, our soldiers lost their lives because they lacked the munitions they needed,” Netanyahu said. “Many countries had imposed restrictions on supplying weapons, leaving us vulnerable. That will never happen again. We aim to build a self-reliant defense industry capable of meeting our operational needs.”
The Israeli PM outlined a vision to shift Israel’s military relationships from aid-dependent to partnership-driven, increasing defense collaboration with allies like India and Germany. This move aims to make Israel’s weapons production more autonomous and resilient, ensuring it no longer relies on external suppliers.
India’s Strategic Role
India has already supported Israel during previous conflicts, supplying munitions and drones, including the Killer Hermes 900 drone, manufactured in collaboration with Israel’s Elbit Systems and India’s Adani Group. Analysts suggest that decades of strong India-Israel relations are now paving the way for deeper cooperation in defense manufacturing. India stands to benefit from Israel’s advanced weapons technology, further modernizing its military capabilities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Israel soon, strengthening bilateral defense ties. Following Israel, the U.S. congressional delegation is in India for five days to discuss strategic coordination, technology sharing, and joint development and production of weapons systems. U.S. officials stressed that India is a key defense partner, and the talks aim to modernize India’s defense technology while enhancing regional stability.
The combined efforts from Israel, India, and the United States could mark a turning point in global defense manufacturing, positioning India as a central player in the international arms industry while boosting its strategic influence in the region.
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