PM Modi’s Israel visit aims to strengthen defence ties, focusing on Mission Sudershan and missile tech.
Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Israel from February 25, New Delhi is preparing to strengthen its strategic and defence partnership with Tel Aviv significantly.
Although no formal defence contracts are expected to be signed during the trip, the two sides are likely to sign an MoU on security cooperation. Both sides are advancing long-term collaboration estimated to be worth around $10 billion in the coming years, according to a report in Hindustan Times.
An agreement on security cooperation is likely, building on the groundwork laid during Defence Secretary RK Singh’s visit to Israel last November, when an expanded defence cooperation framework was concluded.
Mission Sudershan Gains Momentum
India is particularly interested in jointly developing advanced anti-ballistic missile systems under Mission Sudershan, aimed at shielding Indian territory from long-range missile threats.
Israel’s expertise in layered missile defence — including long-, medium-, and short-range systems — makes it a key partner. The country has demonstrated strong interception capabilities in recent conflicts, reinforcing its reputation in this domain. In addition to missile defence, Israel has reportedly agreed to provide cutting-edge technologies, including advanced laser-based defence systems and other high-precision stand-off weapons, the report stated.
India is also pursuing long-range strike capabilities such as air-, sea-, and ground-launched missiles and loitering munitions capable of penetrating sophisticated enemy air defence networks. Recent operational use of such systems has underscored their strategic value.
During Operation Sindoor, Indian forces deployed Rampage missiles along with Palm 400, Harpy, and Harop loitering ammunition to strike targets inside Pakistan, carrying out precision attacks that severely degraded Chinese-built air defence systems, with operations reaching as far as Islamabad. Future acquisitions may include glide bombs, air-to-surface missiles, air-launched ballistic missiles, and extended-range naval air defence systems to enhance fleet protection.