More than 26 years ago, Indian Air Force Mirage 2000H aircraft targeted Pakistani infiltrators in the Drass and Batalik sectors using Israeli Lightning pods to destroy all enemy camps and logistics in the Kargil Theater on June 17, 1999. The Lightning pods were mounted on Indian Mirages to paint the target and then hit it using laser-guided bombs. The move turned out to be a game-changer and the Pakistani resistance quickly aroused the displeasure of the then megalomaniacal Pakistani leader, General Pervez Musharraf, and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, whose armed forces kept him in the dark.
In addition to the surgical strike on Uri, Operation Bandar in Balakot, and Operation Sindoor on May 7, India used Israeli precision-guided missiles, loitering munitions, and laser-guided bombs to blow Pakistani terror camps to pieces. Since Kargil, the Indian Armed Forces have been monitoring enemy territory using Israeli drones – from Searcher Mark 11 to Heron-TP. Follow live updates of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Israel here
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi lands at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv today, India and Israel are poised to strengthen their ties, and the full credit goes to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his close friendship with the Indian Prime Minister.
During the visit, the two sides will sign a security memorandum of understanding that will see the Indian and Israeli defense industry jointly developing weapons systems in India by maintaining utmost secrecy on technology exchange. The two sides intend to take their bilateral partnership to a higher level by deepening economic cooperation at the global and regional levels.
The most important aspect of this relationship is the trust factor between the two leaders and the two countries. These designations apply to another Indian ally in the Gulf, the United Arab Emirates, and the two main allies of Bharat have reached an agreement with each other. All the three partners are also on the same page regarding terrorism and are strong believers in rooting out extremism of the masses using religion as a political tool. It is political Islam and rival regional powers’ use of terrorist proxies that has always kept the Middle East on the brink since the Iranian Revolution of 1979.
India and Israel, with a number of commonalities, have been on the same page on a number of issues and, along with the UAE, are strong supporters of the India-Middle East Economic Corridor – the New Silk Road of the 21st Century. By making his second trip to Israel at a time when tensions between the United States and Iran are at their highest levels, Prime Minister Modi is sending a signal to the world. India always stands with friends.
