The 17th meeting of the India-Israel Joint Working Group (JWG) on Defence Cooperation was held in Tel Aviv, reaffirming the deep and strategic partnership between the two nations. The JWG meeting was co-chaired by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Defence Major General (Res.) Amir Baram.

Major highlight of the meeting was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation, which establishes a unified framework to further strengthen the robust defence relationship between India and Israel.

A major highlight of the meeting was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation, which establishes a unified framework to further strengthen the robust defence relationship between India and Israel. The MoU aims to guide future collaboration, providing a shared vision and policy direction for enhancing strategic, technological, and industrial ties.

The agreement identifies a wide range of cooperation areas that promise mutual benefit, including strategic dialogues, training and skill development, defence industrial collaboration, and capacity building in science and technology, research and development, and technological innovation. Additionally, it places strong emphasis on emerging domains such as artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity.

Through this MoU, both nations will enable the sharing of advanced technologies and actively promote co-development and co-production initiatives, strengthening their respective defence ecosystems.

Both nations will enable the sharing of advanced technologies and actively promote co-development and co-production initiatives, strengthening their respective defence ecosystems.

During the meeting, the JWG reviewed ongoing defence cooperation projects and gains achieved through existing collaborations. Both sides recognised the complementary strengths of India and Israel in areas such as technology innovation, manufacturing, and operational capability enhancement.

The delegations also explored potential avenues for future cooperation, especially in cutting-edge technology and capacity building. In addition, discussions covered regional and global security challenges, including the shared threat of terrorism, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to collective security and counterterrorism efforts.

Visit of Gideon Sa'ar & talks with Jaishankar

The signing of the defence cooperation MoU between India and Israel coincides with, and is reinforced by, the visit of Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar to India and his talks with India's Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar. Gideon Sa'ar on his first official visit to India as Israeli Foreign Minister touched wide array of bilateral relations, covering strategic cooperation, defence, emerging technologies, agriculture, and trade.

The two sides are moving their partnership into a more advanced phase, combining defence, technology, industry, and strategic alignment. The visit is both symbolic and substantive: symbolically signalling the depth of the relationship, substantively delivering an agreement to deepen cooperation.

Additionally, talks also included cooperation in semiconductors, AI, cyber-security, connectivity (such as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor) and people-to-people ties.

Arms and technology cooperation

Israel is among India's top arms suppliers, alongside Russia and France and the US.

Israel has supplied key systems or co-developed, like Barak-8 Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM). The SAM was jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and India's DRDO and deployed by both the Indian Navy and Air Force.

India has also procured Israeli unmanned systems like Heron & Searcher UAVs, which are the main long-range surveillance drones for border monitoring.

Moreover, the Indian military also uses Spike Anti-Tank Missiles, Spyder Air Defence System and Phalcon AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) built on Russian IL-76 platforms.

Manish Kumar Jha is a Consulting & Contributing Editor for SP's Aviation, SP's Land Forces and SP's Naval Forces and a security expert. He writes on national security, military technology, strategic affairs & policies.