Ya'alon to visit India in first for a recent Israeli defense minister

India and Israel are jointly developing the Barak 8 air and missile defense system.

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
Taj Mahal (photo credit: REUTERS)
Taj Mahal
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon is due to visit India in the first trip of its kind since bilateral relations were established in 1991. The defense minister will meet senior Indian counterparts, and visit the Aero India defense trade exhibition to be held in Bangalore from February 18 to 21.
India and Israel are jointly developing the Barak 8 air and missile defense system. India’s Defense Research and Development Organization is working with Israel Aerospace Industries on the project. It will be deployed by the Israel Navy and the Indian Defense Forces.
In October, IAI announced a successful trial of the Barak 8 after it shot down a target that simulated an incoming hostile aircraft. The trial, conducted in collaboration with the Defense Ministry, tested the next generation of defenses currently being installed on Israel Navy ships to protect them from a variety of threats, including the Yakhont surface-to-sea guided missiles in the possession of Hezbollah.
“The current test validated all components of the weapon system to the satisfaction of the customer representatives,” IAI said. Israeli specialists and Indian scientists, including Defense Ministry and Defense Research and Development Organization representatives, participated in the test, along with both countries’ armed forces officers.
In 2012, India’s military chief of staff Gen. V.K. Singh visited Israel.