India is playing a pivotal role in producing missiles and drones for Israel, which are integral to Israel’s “Iron Swords” war effort, as reported by Al Jazeera. This partnership underscores the significant defense cooperation between New Delhi and Jerusalem, particularly in missile production.

Missile Production and Defence Systems

Zain Hussein, a researcher at the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), highlighted to the Qatar News Agency that the collaboration between India and Israel primarily revolves around missile production. According to SIPRI, the Indian company Premier Explosives manufactures essential components for Israeli rocket engines. Considering India’s involvement in producing the Barak air defence system, it is plausible that these components are also used in the Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 air defence systems.

Supporting this, a document from the Palestinian news agency Quds revealed missile fragments in the Nuseira refugee camp with “Made in India” inscriptions. TV Chowdhury, CEO of Premier Explosives, mentioned in an investor call that orders from Israel have significantly boosted their sales, producing various explosives essential for the defense sector.

Drone Production and Technological Exchange

India’s defense cooperation with Israel extends beyond missile production. Since December 2018, Elbit Systems, an Israeli defense company, has collaborated with the defense and space division of Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, who also owns Haifa Port. This partnership includes manufacturing Hermes 900 and 450 drones. During the war, Hezbollah intercepted two drones of each model. The Hermes 900 and 450 drones are priced at approximately $6.85 million and $2 million per unit, respectively.

Hussein from SIPRI emphasized the mutual benefits of producing Hermes drones for both India and Israel. For Israel, it means having an offshore production facility, while for India, it involves technology transfer, enabling the production of drones based on Israeli models. Reflecting this, India recently launched the Drishti 10 Starliner, its first medium-altitude and long-endurance UAV, modeled after the Hermes drone.

Maritime Transportation and International Incidents

The transportation of defence goods between India and Israel has also seen notable incidents. On May 16, Spain denied docking permission to a ship carrying explosives from India to Israel. The Danish-flagged general cargo ship Marianne Danica, which left Chennai on April 8, carried 27 tons of explosives. Due to Houthi rebel activity in the Red Sea, the ship rerouted to the Cape of Good Hope and attempted to dock in Cartagena, Spain.

A day before this incident, another ship, Borkum, flying the Antigua and Barbuda flag, cancelled its Cartagena stop amid protests and suspicions of carrying illegal immigrants to Israel. Pro-Palestinian activists and European Parliament members had urged Spain to prevent its docking. According to Al Jazeera, Borkum carried significant amounts of rocket engines, explosive rockets, and materials designated for artillery.

While Spain’s policy prevented ships linked to the “Iron Swords” war from docking, Morocco took a different approach. Morocco recently allowed the Israeli Defence Forces’ amphibious assault ship, Achi Kommiam, to make an intermediate stop, as first reported by Globes. This decision sparked protests across Morocco, particularly in Tangier, fuelled by elements from Algeria on social media.

The defence collaboration between India and Israel highlights a strategic partnership marked by significant technological and industrial exchanges. This cooperation not only strengthens Israel’s defence capabilities but also enhances India’s technological prowess in missile and drone production. However, the international transport of defence goods remains a contentious issue, influencing geopolitical dynamics and sparking varied responses from different nations.

Photo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (AFP)