What's in the New India-Israel Defence Pact and Why It Matters Now

India and Israel on Tuesday signed a major defence agreement aimed at strengthening cooperation in the joint development and production of military hardware, as well as sharing advanced technologies to

deepen their strategic partnership. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Tel Aviv after a meeting of the India-Israel Joint Working Group (JWG) on defence cooperation.

Pact to Guide Defence Ties

The MoU provides a “unified vision and policy direction to deepen the already strong defence cooperation between the two countries,” the defence ministry said in a statement.It also outlines collaboration in areas such as artificial intelligence, cyber security, defence research, innovation, and industrial partnerships.“India-Israel defence partnership is long-standing based on deep mutual trust and shared security interests,” the ministry said.India has been one of Israel’s largest defence partners, purchasing a range of equipment including missiles, drones, and radar systems. Many of these transactions, however, have remained confidential.

Expanding Defence and Security Cooperation

The JWG reviewed ongoing defence projects and discussed new areas for collaboration in technology and operational capabilities. Both sides also addressed shared security challenges.“They also deliberated on various issues, including shared challenges of terrorism and underscored their collective resolve to fight against the threat,” the statement said.The ministry added that “important fields include strategic dialogues of mutual interest, training, defence industrial cooperation, and capabilities including science and technology, research and development, and technological innovation.”

Diplomatic Context and Broader Cooperation

The pact was signed as Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar began a three-day visit to India. Reports indicate that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may visit New Delhi in the coming months.External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Sa’ar also held talks in New Delhi, focusing on a “global approach of zero tolerance” toward terrorism.Beyond defence, the two ministers discussed enhancing cooperation in trade, infrastructure, and connectivity.The India-Israel partnership has expanded rapidly in recent years across several sectors, with defence remaining a key pillar of their bilateral ties.(With PTI inputs)