AL QUDS: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is to seek a strengthening of already-deep military and economic ties with India during his first official visit to the country, officials and analysts said here on Sunday.
But it was unlikely Sharon would use the visit to officially seal a billion dollar radar systems deal, an Israeli foreign ministry official said.
The Israeli leader is to arrive in New Delhi on Monday for four days of talks with Indian officials in the first public display of what has, until now, been a secretive relationship.
It will also mark the first visit of an Israeli leader to India since the two countries established full diplomatic relations in 1992.
“The focus will be on political relations, military cooperation and the fight against terror,” the foreign ministry official said.
But the trip’s political message is expected to be its most important aspect.
Military cooperation would also be high on the agenda, an official said, without giving details.
Efraim Inbar, director of the Begin-Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies and an expert on Indian-Israeli relations, said the talks were likely to focus on strategic cooperation and the fight against extremism.
Terrorism would also figure significantly, as would the issue of energy resources in the Caspian Sea, he said.
But, it was unlikely the two leaders would ink a deal on the billion-dollar sale of three Israeli Phalcon Airborne Warning And Control Systems (AWACS), which was approved by the US administration in August.
“I would be surprised if they did — I don’t think it is ready yet,” the foreign ministry official said. “Since the United States gave the go-ahead, it is now up to the individual companies and the Russians to finalize the agreement.”
Sharon will be accompanied by a 150 politicians, businessmen and leading defence industry figures, giving the visit a strong business focus.
Since full diplomatic ties were established, the two countries have forged a flourishing bilateral trade expected to rise to $1.6 billion this year, up from 200 million in 1992.
India is an extremely important market for Israeli military sales. After Russia, Israel is India’s second largest defence supplier, with sales close to 60 billion rupees ($1.25 billion) in 2001.
“We are already doing lots of business in India in all the main areas of defence and are looking for additional cooperation with India’s ministry of defence,” Arie Mizrachi, chairman of Israeli Military Industries (IMI), told The Indian Express on Thursday.
Aside from military sales, key areas of trade are diamonds, chemicals and telecoms, but Israel would be looking to focus particularly on high-tech, telecoms and biotechnology during this visit, the foreign ministry official said.
Both Israeli and Indian officials said on Friday that the two countries would sign five agreements: on environment protection, fighting narcotics trafficking, introducing a visa-free regime for diplomatic passport holders, on health and medicine, and would expand an agreement on culture and education.—AFP