In a startling revelation, the Israeli Ambassador in New Delhi, Mark Sofer, has said that his country had assisted India in 'turning around' the situation during the 1999 Kargil war with Pakistan.
| During the Kargil war, while everyone else imposed an unofficial arms embargo, Israel supplied India with laser guided bombs, laser target pods, unmanned aerial vehicles, battlefield radars, and artillery rounds, some straight from its own military supplies, some within 24hrs of request. They also provided satellite data. This is why the then Indian defense minister George Fernandes later issued an order that Israeli companies were to be preferentially treated in future arms purchases. During the 1971 Indo-Pak war, Israel had also supplied mortars and ammunition to India. They didn't even have diplomatic relations then but the Mossad trained India's RAW and the SPG (who guard Indian leaders) also received Israeli training. Israeli and Indian pilots flew in secret wargames, exposing the Indians to the F-16s that the Pakistanis use, and the Israelis to the Mig-29s and Sukhois that the Arabs use. |
In an interview with a weekly, the envoy disclosed how defence ties between the two countries got a boost after Kargil when Israel came to India's rescue at a critical time, helping turn around the situation on the ground. 'I think we proved to the Indian government that you can rely on us, that we have the wherewithal. A friend in need is a friend indeed,' he said.
He also disclosed that Indo-Israeli defence ties would go beyond mere selling-buying of arms. 'We do have a defence relationship with India, which is no secret. What is secret is what the defence relationship is? And with all due respect, the secret part will remain secret,' he said in the interview to Outlook weekly magazine.
| After the 1998 nuclear tests, questions were asked about the visit by Abdul Kalam to Israel 18 months previously. Many rumors of possible nuclear collaboration but nothing confirmed. Since then we have had reports of hundreds of Indian scientists in Israel working on joint projects, Israel testing its submarine launched cruise missiles at the Indian missile test range. |
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