Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh held extensive talks with the Israeli Defense Minister Benjamin Gantz, having a special focus on the evolving regional security scenarios and ways to further strengthen bilateral ties. The two sides adopted a ‘vision statement’ reaffirming their resolve to expand defense and military cooperation. The two sides adopted the India-Israel Vision on Defence Cooperation with the “intention to further strengthen the existing framework of the Indo-Israeli defense cooperation architecture,” a defense ministry statement said.
Read more: India’s relations with Israel Archives – Global Village Space
According to the officials, the two ministers deliberated on the co-development and co-production of military equipment in sync with growing India-Israel strategic ties besides discussing geopolitical turmoil including the Ukraine crisis. Moreover, the overall situation in the Gulf region also came under consideration in the meeting, said the officials. The meeting with Mr. Gantz was “warm and productive”, said the Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh
Read more: Behind India-Israel alliance: The ideology and Strategic Philosophy
In the meeting of both the ministers, we “Discussed key issues pertaining to defense cooperation and global and regional scenarios during the bilateral meeting. We place great value on our Strategic Partnership with Israel,” Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted. “Glad that both the countries adopted a ‘Vision Statement’ which will pave the way for defense cooperation in future. There is a broad consensus between both the countries on further strengthening the bilateral strategic and defense cooperation,” he added.
Warm and productive meeting with the Defence Minister of Israel, Mr. Benjamin Gantz in New Delhi.
Discussed key issues pertaining to defence cooperation and global & regional scenarios during the bilateral meeting. We place great value on our Strategic Partnership with Israel. pic.twitter.com/83b92V97MT
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 2, 2022
Historically, India has been a major buyer of Israel’s military hardware. Israel has been supplying various weapon systems, missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles to India over the last few years but the transactions have largely remained behind the curtains. India procured a number of weapons and ammunition including Spike anti-tank guided missiles from Israel in the last couple of years.