- A progressive alliance aligned with ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ principles.
- A united partnership fuels India’s Defence prowess.
Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have solidified their partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at collaborating on India’s requirements in the realm of Short Range Air Defence Systems. The MoU was formally executed in Bengaluru, with Mr K V Suresh Kumar, Director (Marketing) of BEL, and Mr Avi Elisha, VP and General Manager of Missile Systems Division at IAI, officiating the signing ceremony in the presence of Mr Bhanu Prakash Srivastava, CMD of BEL.
This collaboration is a significant stride towards reinforcing the cooperative efforts between BEL and IAI, entities with an extensive history of collaboration. Their shared endeavours have included joint development, production, and support programs for the Indian Defence forces. The MoU aligns seamlessly with the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-reliant India) and ‘Make in India’ initiatives, reflecting the Indian Government’s emphasis on fostering indigenous capabilities.
Mr Bhanu Prakash Srivastava, CMD of BEL, highlighted the strategic significance of IAI as a key partner and stressed that the MoU will fuel enhanced cooperation between the two companies in the domain of short-range air defence systems. He emphasised that the alliance will empower Indian industry players to contribute significantly towards equipping the armed forces with cutting-edge Short Range Air Defence Systems. IAI’s President and CEO, Mr. Boaz Levy, expressed the company’s shared commitment to the partnership, emphasising their track record in delivering high-end Air Defence capabilities to the Indian Armed Forces while adhering to ‘Make in India’ requirements. This expansion of cooperation into the short-range air defence domain is seen as a natural progression of their successful collaboration.
With a focus on innovation and combat-proven expertise, IAI offers an array of solutions spanning space technologies, UAVs, missiles, intelligence solutions, air defence systems, radars, and more. BEL was established to bolster India’s self-sufficiency in Defence electronics. It operates across diverse fields, manufacturing cutting-edge products and systems for sectors like radar, missile systems, military communications, and naval systems. The company’s expansion into non-defence sectors includes electronic voting machines, homeland security and smart cities, satellite integration & space electronics, and cybersecurity. As both BEL and IAI embark on this joint venture, their partnership is poised to contribute significantly to India’s Defence capabilities while fostering technological innovation in alignment with national initiatives.
