Indo-Israel Spike deal alive?
India had cancelled missile deal, Israel sparks new hope.
New Delhi: Israel on Friday said that any problems in the earlier-proposed Spike anti-tank missile deal with India can be solved, thereby indicating that the deal may still be alive. This comes in the wake of reports that India had cancelled the US$ 500 million contract.
Speaking on Friday ahead of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's six-day visit to India starting Sunday, Israeli Ambassador Daniel Carmon said the Spike project could be undertaken by both Indian and Israeli companies and would be part of the "Make in India" initiative if it goes through. Speculation is rife that the two countries could ink a Government-to-Government contract if the deal is to be inked. "If there is a problem, it can be solved," the Israeli envoy said.
The comment was a departure from a strict practice followed by the Israelis, not to speak in public about the highly sensitive and strategic defence ties between the two nations. In the past 15 years, India has acquired sophisticated weaponry and defence platforms and equipment worth billions of dollars from the Jewish State. Meanwhile, Israel on Friday also indicated it was disappointed with the recent move of the Indian Government to vote in favour of a UN resolution opposing the decision of the US to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's Capital but said ties were too strong to be affected by one decision. The Israeli envoy also said, in response to another question, that if there are any problems in the earlier Indian move to buy Israeli Spike anti-tank missiles, “it will be solved”. On the UN vote issue, speaking on Friday ahead of the arrival of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu to India on a six-day visit starting Sunday, Israeli Ambassador Daniel Carmon pointed out that recently when Indian Judge Justice Dalveer Bhandari was contesting for re-election to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Israel had gone so far in India’s support as to adopt Justice Bhandari as its candidate too. The Israeli envoy’s statement indicates that Israel may have expected some reciprocity in diplomatic support from India when it came to the UN resolution on Jerusalem.
The Israeli envoy however evaded a direct question on whether Israel had approached India for support ahead of the UN vote.