India-Israel Rs 78,217 crore defence deal on cards? Agreement to boost IAFs missile prowess
The deal with Israel includes Rampage air-to-surface missiles, SPICE-1000 precision-guided bombs, the Ice Breaker missile system, and Air LORA air-launched ballistic missiles.
New Delhi: India will enter into a major defence deal with Israel, strengthening the Indian Air Force (IAF). According to reports, New Delhi is gearing up to sign an agreement of around Rs 78,217 crore for advanced missiles, precision-guided bombs and related systems.
Proposal comes at a crucial moment
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has cleared the proposal, and it comes at a crucial time for India amid tensions along the borders. China is threatening to breach the peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), with Pakistan, on the other hand, always ready to shatter the peace of India.
What will the deal entail?
The deal with Israel includes Rampage air-to-surface missiles, SPICE-1000 precision-guided bombs, the Ice Breaker missile system, and Air LORA air-launched ballistic missiles. Also, there will be loitering munitions, air-to-air missiles, simulators, modern radars, and network-centric command systems, strengthening the aircraft of the IAF.
It will ensure the launch of rampage missiles from platforms including the Su-30MKI, MiG-29, Jaguar and MiG-29K. These missiles can strike airbases, bunkers and logistics hubs, and their effectiveness was seen during Operation Sindoor.
Air LORA can hit targets which are 400-430 km away with high accuracy, and can destroy enemy missile sites, air defence installations and strategic bases. India is already producing it with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Israeli partners teaming up.
What is the Ice Breaker missile?
The Ice Breaker missile is a deadly weapon in heavily contested electronic warfare environments. It can hit targets which are 300 km away and uses AI, autonomous target recognition and sensors that can work in conditions even where there is no GPS. It can evade advanced air defences due to its low radar signature.
Also, the deal reportedly has an agreement on transfer of technology, with BEL and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) creating Air LORA and Ice Breaker missiles in India. The Defence Research and Development Organisation will ensure that the programme aligns with the government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ push.