(MENAFN) New Delhi's Defense Ministry confirmed Tuesday that India and Israel have finalized a major defense cooperation framework designed to strengthen bilateral military relations between the nations.

The pact was formalized in Tel Aviv during a bilateral working group session focused on defense collaboration. Indian Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Israeli Defense Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. (Res) Amir Baram co-chaired the talks, according to the ministry's official statement.

Officials indicated the framework will facilitate the "sharing of advanced technology and would promote co-development and co-production."

Though New Delhi's announcement omitted specific procurement details, the Jerusalem Post revealed that India is set to purchase rocket systems for ground operations and medium-range surface-to-air missile defense platforms manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), with the deal valued at approximately $3.75 billion. An additional $900 million contract will see IAI retrofit six commercial aircraft into refueling tankers for the Indian Air Force, the outlet reported.

The defense accord's signing aligned with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar's diplomatic visit to New Delhi on the same day.

Meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Sa'ar characterized India as a "global superpower." He emphasized that bilateral cooperation between the two nations has reached unprecedented levels, fueled by deepening strategic and technological coordination.

Jaishankar responded: "India and Israel have a strategic partnership and particularly in our case, that term has a real meaning. We have stood together in testing times. And we have created a relationship with a high degree of trust and reliability."

Israel has emerged as a critical arms provider to India across recent decades, with both governments jointly developing the Barak-8 air and missile defense platform.

Data from SIPRI for 2025 shows India leads as the primary recipient of Israeli weaponry, representing 34% of exports—equivalent to $2.9 billion in military hardware spanning radars, unmanned aerial vehicles, and missile systems. However, when examining India's complete arms procurement portfolio, Russia remains the dominant supplier at 36%.

Jaishankar voiced India's support for a ceasefire initiative targeting war in Gaza, which US President Donald Trump unveiled last month in Egypt's Sharm-el-Sheikh. The Indian official expressed optimism that the proposal would yield a durable resolution.

MENAFN05112025000045017169ID1110298364