March 10, 2007	Saturday	Safar 20, 1428

NEW DELHI, March 9: Indian Army Chief Gen J.J. Singh is on a secret visit to Israel and while credible news reports on Friday focused tangentially on the Pakistan-India dimension of the tour it was not out that the crisis in the Middle East might be on his agenda.

So far, India’s air force chief has visited the Jewish state apart from defence bureaucrats and scientists. But two defence ministers, including the current one, have baulked at the idea of being seen there because of a politically potent anti-American sentiment that cuts across the Hindus and Muslims alike.

Yet, said the Times of India, “the largely covert strategic cooperation between India and Israel is going full steam ahead.”

Gen Singh’s 10-day visit to Israel and Italy comes at a time when the Indian army is gearing up for a major induction of Israeli UAVs, air defence missile systems, specialised weaponry for its special forces, third-generation thermal imaging and night-vision devices, among other items, at least two reports said.