India in final talks to buy 4,500 Spike missiles from Israel in $500-million deal

Source: Wikimedia Commons.

India is in the final stages to acquire 4,500 Spike anti-tank guided missiles from Israel in a government-to-government purchase worth USD 5oo million, reported Hindustan Times.

Spike is a fourth-generation man-portable fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile designed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. These missiles have a range between 800 metres and eight kilometres.

South Block officials and Israeli diplomats are awaiting the final seal of approval from the Modi government for the deal, the report said. The deal was initially a part of the government's “Make in India” component, which is now reduced on grounds of commercial consideration.

The move comes ahead of Israeli Major General (Retd) Udi Adam's visit to India on July 2. The retired general will hold meetings with his counterpart Sanjay Mitra and pay courtesy to the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The deal has reached the final stages after several attempts by the Indian Army to purchase Spike missiles. Rafael had won a contract to sell over 8,000 Spike missiles to India with a deal to manufacture 3,000 missiles in India under the 'Make in India' route. The contract was cancelled in November last year after Israel opposed it.

The deal was modified to the government-to-government route after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited India this January. Under the deal, India will purchase 4,500 weapons with only a small quantity being manufactured in Hyderabad.