India–Israel Defence Trade: Issues and Challenges

To achieve strategically critical self-reliance in defence production, there needs to be a greater focus on co-development, co-production projects with important partners like Israel, with an essential emphasis on exports to third countries. For the full realisation of the potential of the India–Israel defence partnership, India on its part needs to strengthen elements of its procurement processes—including the proper implementation of laid down policies. Further, it needs to put forward a procurement ‘policy’ as distinct from a procurement ‘procedure’, ensure greater clarity and transparency about the future procurement needs of the armed forces and align defence plans with realistic assessments of the financial resources likely to be made available for executing those plans.