Israel to Manufacture High-Tech Weapons in India, Strengthening Defence Ties and Countering Turkey-Pakistan Threats

For decades, India’s defence sector heavily relied on Russia, which supplied fighter jets, submarines, tanks, and missiles. However, in recent years, India has reduced this dependence, forging stronger defence partnerships with countries like Israel and France. Now, Israel plans to shift a significant portion of its defence manufacturing to India, marking a historic collaboration.

India-Israel Defence Collaboration

Tel Aviv: India and Israel are elevating their defence partnership beyond the traditional buyer-seller relationship. According to reports, Israel is exploring the possibility of manufacturing advanced weapons directly in India under the “Make in India” initiative. This includes high-tech drones and other advanced military platforms.

Last month, India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh visited Israel, where the India-Israel Joint Working Group (JWG) met and signed a new MoU. The agreement focuses on joint development of advanced weapons, co-production of defence systems, and technology sharing in AI, cyber, training, and R&D.

‘Make in India, For the World’

Sources in the Israeli government and the Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv confirmed that the two countries aim to combine Israel’s innovation ecosystem with India’s engineering capabilities to produce world-class defence products. A senior Indian diplomat noted that this shift could begin showing results within six months to a year. Israel has already shared several critical defence technologies with India, including the Barak-8 air defence system and advanced drones, many of which are now being produced locally.

Strategic Reasons

Israel, a small country, faces constant security concerns that its defence facilities could be targeted in a war. Partnering with India ensures reliable production and supply of weapons, reducing operational vulnerabilities. At the same time, India has changed its defence strategy, emphasizing technology transfer and local production over mere imports.

Ongoing projects include joint production of Javelin anti-tank missiles, manufacturing of Striker armoured vehicles, and integration of MQ-9B drones into the Indian armed forces. India’s focus is now on developing and eventually exporting advanced weaponry, as seen in the BrahMos missile and Akash air defence system programs.

Future Prospects

Israeli officials have indicated interest in partnerships for UAVs, missiles, loitering weapons, air defence systems, radars, and communications equipment. Orimagal, Corporate Offset Manager at Israeli firm Elbit, compared the Indian Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) to “Alice in Wonderland,” emphasizing India’s potential to simplify defence business. FICCI representatives noted that India is committed to making the defence procurement process more business-friendly, particularly concerning IPR and transfer pricing.

Over the next decade, the Indian military is expected to invest more than $250 billion in advanced weapon systems. In the previous decade, Israel had transferred roughly $10 billion worth of military equipment and systems to India. This strategic shift also serves as a strong signal to India’s regional adversaries, particularly Pakistan and Turkey, who are exploring their own drone and advanced weapons programs.

By moving defence manufacturing to India, Israel not only strengthens its partnership with a trusted ally but also sets the stage for a historic leap in India’s indigenous defence capabilities.