India, Israel strengthen defence ties
Dubai | Monday, Nov 9 2009 IST
 

Defence ties with Israel will get a further boost during high-level ongoing talks between Chief of Army Staff Gen Deepak Kapoor and top Israeli officials, including Defence Minister Ehud Barak.

Gen Kapoor's four-day visit to Israel is believed to have been given top billing here, coming as it does just before the first anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks on the Taj hotel as well as a Chabad House (of Jews), during which over 170 people were killed, including the Chabad emissary to Mumbai and his pregnant wife. The visit is a direct outcome of Israeli efforts to bolster military ties and export military hardware. Gen Kapoor, who arrived in Tel Aviv on Saturday, is meeting the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) Chief of General Staff Lt Gen Gabi Ashkenazi and other senior officials. Gen Kapoor will visit Yad Vashem in Jerusalem as well as the IDF's Southern Command during his visit. Israel and India enjoy close defence ties. Last year, Israel overtook Russia as the number-one supplier of military platforms to India after breaking the one billion dollar mark in new contracts, signed annually, according to Jerusalem Post.

India is interested in working with Israel on submarine-launched cruise missiles, ballistic missile defence systems, laser-guided systems, satellites as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, according to press reports. Post said since the Mumbai attacks, Israel has assisted India in beefing up its security, particularly along its coast, where the terrorists allegedly infiltrated from nearby Pakistan.

-- (UNI) -- 09DF2.xml

 

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