India and Israel Sign Strategic Defence Technology Pact During Foreign Minister Saar's New Delhi Visit

India and Israel have strengthened their strategic partnership with the signing of a new defence cooperation agreement during Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar's visit to New Delhi.

While Foreign Minister Saar was meeting with his Indian counterpart Dr. S. Jaishankar in New Delhi, officials in Tel Aviv were formalizing a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation during the 17th India-Israel Joint Working Group meeting.

The defence meeting was co-chaired by India's Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Major General (Res.) Amir Baram, Director General of Israel's Ministry of Defence, marking a pivotal advancement in bilateral relations.

According to official statements, this new agreement establishes a "unified vision and policy direction" to enhance the already strong defence partnership between the two nations. The framework focuses on advanced technology sharing and promotes co-development and co-production in critical sectors including artificial intelligence, cyber security, defence innovation, and research and development.

During the Joint Working Group meeting, representatives reviewed current collaborative initiatives and confirmed the mutual benefits of their partnership. Discussions extended to future cooperation aimed at enhancing operational capabilities and addressing common challenges such as terrorism, with both countries reaffirming their commitment to jointly combat these threats.

India and Israel have cultivated a deep defence relationship founded on mutual trust and aligned security interests. Israel continues to be one of India's most crucial defence partners, making substantial contributions to India's military modernization and technological advancement efforts.

This defence breakthrough coincides with Foreign Minister Saar's diplomatic visit to India. In an exclusive NDTV interview, Saar described India as a "global superpower" and emphasized that the India-Israel partnership is stronger than ever, reflecting growing strategic and technological alignment between the two democracies.

Earlier this year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told NDTV's Aditya Raj Kaul that "The things (equipment/ammunition) we provided before worked very well on the field (During Operation Sindoor) we develop our weapons in the field and they are battle-tested."

The Indian military had successfully utilized Barak missiles and HARPY drones, alongside domestically manufactured weapons systems, to counter Pakistani missile threats during a nearly 100-hour period beginning May 7.

The timing of this new MoU, concurrent with Saar's high-level visit, highlights the expanding scope of India-Israel relations – anchored in shared values, security priorities, and a vision for future-oriented defence collaboration.