India & Israel sign defence deals worth over 2 billion dollar

India and Israel yesterday signed mega defence deals worth over 2 billion dollar for advanced surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems, to further tighten the bilateral strategic partnership ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Israel in July. 

The SAM systems are designed to destroy hostile aircraft, missiles and drones at a range of 70-km.Ministry of Defense sources said the major deal was for the joint project between the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for the Barak-8 medium-range SAM systems to initially include one regiment of 16



launchers and 560 missiles for the Indian Army. 

These Barak-8 systems, with their MF-STARs (multi-function surveillance and threat alert radars) as well as weapon control systems with data links, can detect and track hostile aerial threats at a range of 100-km and destroy them at 70-km. Consequently, they will help in plugging the existing holes in India's air defence coverage.

The Cabinet Committee on Security in February had cleared the MR-SAM project for the Army at an overall cost of 16,830 crore rupees, which will now include a first installment of 1,500 crore rupees.