Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic visit to Israel, the first by an Indian head of government, has raised expectations of greater collaboration between the big guns of the defence industry in both countries.

Israeli engagement with Indian defence research laboratories and public sector undertakings has been growing steadily. This time around, the focus could shift to the private sector, with greater Israeli participation in technology and investments propelling Modi’s ‘Make in India’ project.

After Russia, the US, France and the UK, it is Israel that India looks to as a long-term collaborator in defence (especially aerospace) and space, where many critical projects have slowed down owing to denial of technology and tough market conditions.

An estimated ₹30,000 crore worth of research and development projects, especially in the areas of missile technology, radars and sensors are at different stages of progress.

A positive outcome of the Modi-Benjamin Netanyahu meeting will set the tone for boosting projects involving the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and other public sector firms, and also facilitate greater involvement by Israeli companies.

The Israeli Aerospace Industries has joint ventures in place, and the possible entry of the Israeli Military Industries (IMI), another consortium, can dramatically change the contours of the engagement with India, defence experts told BusinessLine .

The Tatas and Bharat Forge are among the big corporates that have tie-ups with Israel. The Mahindras, the Anil Ambani Group and L&T have also evinced interest.

Among the small and medium enterprises, Hyderabad-based SEC Industries, VEM Technologies, Zetatek, Astra Microwave and Bengaluru-based Dynamatix have ongoing joint projects either independently or through the defence offset policy.

The Modi visit will also help Israel look at opportunities beyond the US. India is a reliable partner, with a history of sharing expertise, training and joint ventures, including the production of the Barak missile.

The multi-thousand crore Surface-to-Air missile systems project, and the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles project, will get a fillip.

India’s defence forces need to fast-track modernisation to secure the country’s borders, given the heightened tensions with Pakistan and China.

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