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Friday, July 20, 2007

India, Israel to jointly develop $2.5 billion
missile defense system

LONDON — India and Israel have agreed to the joint development of an air and missile defense system.

Indian sources said New Dehli has agreed to pay $2.5 billion to develop an air and missile defense umbrella in a project with Israel. The sources said the project envisioned a network of batteries that could intercept incoming missiles, aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.

"India will jointly develop and co-produce a new generation of medium range surface-to-air missiles with Israel to secure the country's strategic assets from growing threats posed by aerial attacks and the proliferation of missiles in the region," the New Dehli-based Indian Government News reported.

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Israel has not confirmed the report. Over the last five years, Israel has sold India the Green Pine long-range early-warning radar, part of the Arrow-2 missile defense system, Middle East Newsline reported. The system would be capable of detecting missile launches up to 500 kilometers away. The defense umbrella would fire interceptors that could down enemy air assets at a range of 70 kilometers. The agreement called for a joint venture to develop interceptors. On July 12, the Indian Cabinet Security Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved the project. The project would be led by the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries, Indian Air Force and Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation. DRDO has been deemed the prime contractor of the missile defense system. The proposed system would replace a range of Soviet-era anti-aircraft batteries. India has deployed the S-125 Pechora, a 1960s surface-to-air missile.

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