The close military links between India and Israel are exemplified by partnerships, joint ventures and contracts between Bharat and some of Israel’s largest war industries.

(1) Rafael: In 2008, Bharat announced a joint venture with Rafael. (See "State-owned Israeli War Industries.") They agreed to jointly produce "missile electronics and guidance technologies." In 2010, India Defence Online noted that the "joint venture will produce missile seekers or ‘Homers’ for both the country’s needs." These homing devices, for use by the Indian and Israeli militaries, are guidance systems used in interceptor missiles. These radar systems control "the core actions of the missile" such as the "detection of enemy targets." They also guide "the missile to destroy the target." Bharat holds 74% in the venture, while Rafael owns the rest.

(2) Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI): Bharat is making subsystems for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles built by Malat, a subsidiary of state-owned IAI. Another Bharat-IAI project was to upgrade India’s Schilka tank weapon system, including its radar, weapons-firing systems, engines, optronics and displays. (See "State-owned Israeli War Industries.")

(3) NICE Systems: Bharat is the "strategic partner" and "prime contractor" for this Israeli "homeland security" company on a "video surveillance" system which uses "advanced video analytics" and "multimedia incident information management." (See NICE Systems in table "CPP Investments.")

(4) Elisra Electronics: Bharat and Elisra, a subsidiary of Israel’s largest war industry, Elbit Systems, are working together on "various airborne electronic warfare programmes."

(5) Aryt Industries: Bharat has a ten-year cooperation agreement with this Israeli military electronics and electro-optical equipment maker. The joint project will supply one million electronic artillery fuses for India.

While some of these relationships between Bharat and Israeli military firms serve primarily to promote Israel’s export of weapons systems to India, there are spin-off effects which build the capacity of Israel’s war industries to meet the needs of their own government’s military forces.

Top 100 Defense Contractors, Defense News
www.defensenews.com

Rafael and BEL agree to set up JV, Feb. 16, 2008.
www.rafael.co.il/Marketing/468-1528-en/Marketing.aspx?searchText=bharat