Defense Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to his Israeli counterpart, Lt. Gen. Benjamin Gantz on Friday
New Delhi:
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh had a phone conversation with his Israeli counterpart, Lt. Gen. Benjamin Gantz, on Friday in which India’s standoff with China in eastern Ladakh featured prominently government sources said.
The main objective of the talks was the swift implementation of the ongoing defense procurement programs as well as the further expansion of the comprehensive defense and security ties between the two countries, they said.
“India’s standoff with China in eastern Ladakh featured prominently when the two defense ministers looked at the evolving regional security scenario,” the sources told the press agency Press Trust of India.
They said issues relating to India’s purchase of various arms and ammunition from Israel on an expedited basis had been discussed during the conversation.
Mr. Singh briefed Lieutenant-General Gantz on major reforms undertaken by India in the defense manufacturing sector and called for greater participation of Israeli defense companies in the joint development of weapons and military equipment with Indian companies, the sources told PTI News Agency.
India has been Israel’s largest purchaser of military equipment, and the latter has supplied various weapon systems, missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles in recent years, but the deals have largely remained behind the curtains for national security reasons.
In a statement, the Defense Ministry said Singh and Lt. Gen. Gantz expressed satisfaction with the progress of strategic cooperation between the two countries and discussed possibilities to further strengthen defense commitments.
“They also expressed their satisfaction with the ongoing collaboration in research and development in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic which will not only benefit both countries but will also help the broader humanitarian cause,” he said. declared.
The Defense Ministry said Rajnath Singh has invited greater participation of Israeli defense companies under the new liberalized foreign direct investment (FDI) regime in the defense industry.
“The two ministers exchanged views on regional developments. The Israeli defense minister responded positively to Singh’s invitation to visit India at the earliest opportunity,” he said.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
