India-Israel MoU Marks New Chapter in Defence Ties

The governments of India and Israel have taken a significant step in strengthening their defence cooperation by signing a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the 17th meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Defence Cooperation, held in Tel Aviv. This move not only underlines the deepening strategic partnership between the two countries but also signals a shift towards greater technology sharing, co‑production, and counter‑terrorism collaboration.

A Renewed Vision for Bilateral Defence Ties

• On the occasion of the 17th Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on defence cooperation, India and Israel signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Tel Aviv to expand and deepen their bilateral defence partnership.
• The MoU is designed to provide a unified vision and policy direction for advancing cooperation in a structured and long-term manner.
• The meeting was co-chaired by India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Major General Amir Baram, Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Defence.

Areas of Collaboration and Strategic Focus

The new agreement aims to,

• Enhance defence industrial cooperation through co-development and co-production.
• Facilitate the exchange of advanced technologies.
• Promote mutual support in developing operational capabilities.
• Strengthen collaboration against shared threats like terrorism.

Both countries emphasized the importance of joint strategies to combat terrorism and discussed mechanisms for increased collaboration in defence technology and innovation.

Strategic Outcomes

• On the sidelines of the JWG meeting, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh met Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz, where he briefed him on the key outcomes of the discussions.
• Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing their strategic and defence relationship, which has grown consistently stronger over the past two decades.
• This renewed cooperation aligns with India’s broader goals of self-reliance in defence production and technological modernization.