The Indian government has received an Israeli invitation to invest $100 million into the Arrow-II anti-ballistic project and to subsequently purchase the system. According to the Sunday Express, the proposition is similar to the offer that was presented to Turkey a few weeks ago, after successful missile interception trials.
However, exporting the Arrow to third party countries has not yet been authorized. The US government must approve any sale of the missile, since it has financed 65 percent of the $2.5 billion project. Last year, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee authorized Israel to use $200 million of its annual two billion dollar military aid package to finance the joint manufacture.
Having taken 14 years to develop, the Arrow ABM is the only operational anti-missile missile system in the world. South Korea, India, and Turkey have all expressed interest in purchasing the system. New Delhi’s eagerness to obtain the missile was prompted by reports that Pakistan had obtained missile parts from North Korea. The rivaling neighbors have carried out a number of missile tests in the past few months.
Israel and India have long established tight cooperation between their defense industries. According to the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the Jewish state is reported to have already furnished India with the Greenpine radar and a Harpy unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
