<p> <br />The two-day visit begins Dec 8.<br /><br />"The delegation will meet chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force and the national security advisor (NSA)," a senior defence official said requesting anonymity.<br /><br />Though the government has been circumspect about its military ties with Israel, there have been regular interactions at various levels. Israel has emerged as a major exporter of defence equipment to the Indian armed forces in recent years.<br /><br />Indian Army chief General Deepak Kapoor had visited Tel Aviv last month.<br /><br />In September 2008, then Israeli army chief General Avi Mizrahi had visited India and held talks about joint exercises on counter-insurgency and anti-terror operations. He had also made a trip to Jammu and Kashmir. <br /><br />India is Israel’s biggest customer for weapons and has a longstanding relationship with Tel Aviv. India has bought military hardware and software from Israel worth about $8 billion since the 1999 Kargil conflict.<br /><br />In 2004, India ordered three Phalcon Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), fitted on Russian-built Ilyushin II-76 aircraft. The first of the AWACS were inducted in the Indian Air Force in May this year.<br /><br />Israel has also sold IAI Malat-built Searcher MkII and IAI Heron unmanned aerial vehicles to the Indian Air Force. The IAI recently upgraded 32 Hind Mi-24 helicopters for the Indian Army. <br /><br />Rafael is a major company vying for a $10 billion contract for the supply of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force. <br /><br />In 2008, Rafael won the Indian order for low-level quick reaction missile system (LLQRM), which was competing with the mobile SPYDER (Surface-to-air Python and Derby) short-range air defence system. The company is now competing for India’s quick reaction missile (QRM) and medium range surface-to-air missile (MRSAM) order with the SPYDER-SR (short-range) and SPYDER-MR (medium-range) missile systems. <br /></p>
<p> <br />The two-day visit begins Dec 8.<br /><br />"The delegation will meet chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force and the national security advisor (NSA)," a senior defence official said requesting anonymity.<br /><br />Though the government has been circumspect about its military ties with Israel, there have been regular interactions at various levels. Israel has emerged as a major exporter of defence equipment to the Indian armed forces in recent years.<br /><br />Indian Army chief General Deepak Kapoor had visited Tel Aviv last month.<br /><br />In September 2008, then Israeli army chief General Avi Mizrahi had visited India and held talks about joint exercises on counter-insurgency and anti-terror operations. He had also made a trip to Jammu and Kashmir. <br /><br />India is Israel’s biggest customer for weapons and has a longstanding relationship with Tel Aviv. India has bought military hardware and software from Israel worth about $8 billion since the 1999 Kargil conflict.<br /><br />In 2004, India ordered three Phalcon Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), fitted on Russian-built Ilyushin II-76 aircraft. The first of the AWACS were inducted in the Indian Air Force in May this year.<br /><br />Israel has also sold IAI Malat-built Searcher MkII and IAI Heron unmanned aerial vehicles to the Indian Air Force. The IAI recently upgraded 32 Hind Mi-24 helicopters for the Indian Army. <br /><br />Rafael is a major company vying for a $10 billion contract for the supply of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force. <br /><br />In 2008, Rafael won the Indian order for low-level quick reaction missile system (LLQRM), which was competing with the mobile SPYDER (Surface-to-air Python and Derby) short-range air defence system. The company is now competing for India’s quick reaction missile (QRM) and medium range surface-to-air missile (MRSAM) order with the SPYDER-SR (short-range) and SPYDER-MR (medium-range) missile systems. <br /></p>