The link between the two intelligence agencies goes back to 1968 when R&AW was created. India has cooperated with Mossad to get vital intelligence about radical Islamic groups.
The field officers of R&AW (equivalent to agents of other intelligence agencies) are trained by Mossad today. The two agencies have collaborations in assassination squad and counter-terrorism operation at a covert oval, In 1976-77, Moshe Dayan and Mossad even trained Indian field officer of R&AW to carry out airstrikes to destroy the Pakistani Kahuta plant where Indian R&AW had found out secret nuclear enrichment done by Pakistan to develop a nuclear bomb.
Till today, R&AW and Mossad continue to enjoy a deep covert relationship in different parts of the world.
After 1991, as India adopted the policy of diversification in the defence industry, it began to forge a new alliance with Israel. Israel not only had a large military-industrial complex but through arms support in 19621965 and 1971 has proved its mettle.
Moreover, the disintegration of the Soviet Union and Indian defence industry's reliance on Soviet equipment became a factor since Israelis had developed special skills in upgrading Soviet-era equipment. Thus, both defence and economic ties between the nations improved. Even though a strong case was made for defence deals with Israel, the Indian government decided not to publicly talk about the same.
In 1998, when the BJP came to power, there were high-level visits from India by L.K. Advani (Home Minister) and Jaswant Singh (Foreign Minister) to Israel. 2003, Israeli PM Ariel Sharon visited India. The BJP government added the needed strategic depth in the relations and opened up a chapter of defence diplomacy thereby envisaging a military and ideological In alliance to contain terrorism.
In 2003, India purchased 14 million dollars' worth light ammunition electronic warfare equipment and UAVs from Israel. Post-Kargil War, both sides began cooperation in border control and counter-terrorism exercise. Israelis gave India night vision technologies and laser-guided missiles and UAVs for high-altitude surveillance and imagery, along with Barak 1 missiles.
The two sides signed MoU in agriculture, trade, high-tech agriculture demonstration, health care. industrial research and development. They have also been negotiating an FTA for a long time. There is a Joint Working Group on terrorism, and Israel has supplied India with Phalcon AWACS system field as well.
At the defence level, Israel has also provided India with searcher UAVs, Heron I drones, guns, Phalcon AWACS, SPYDER anti-aircraft missiles, radars and so on. Israel too is keen engaging with India as Israel asserts that Jews in India have not been victims of anti-Semitism (unlike in Europe). In 2017, during the visit of the Indian PM to Israel, the two decided to take the relationship to a strategic level.
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