Highlights:
- India could buy Military Equipment from Israel amid China border row
- Heron Drone and Spike Anti-Tank guided missiles would be bought by India
As India is engaged in the Line of Actual Control (LAC) dispute with China in the eastern part of Ladakh, India is planning on buying Heron surveillance drones and Spike anti-tank guided missiles from Israel to strengthen its surveillance capabilities and firepower under the emergency financial powers granted by the government.
A leading news channel reported, “The Heron unmanned aerial vehicles are already in the Indian Air Force, Navy, and the Army and are being used extensively at the moment by both Army surveillance and Target acquisition batteries and Air Force in the Ladakh sector.”
Government sources say, “There is a need for acquisition of Heron UAVs to add to the existing fleet of these drones for meeting the requirements of our Air Force fleet. We are planning to place orders for these UAVs,”, however, the number was not disclosed.
The Heron UAV has been in service in India with all the 3 defence wings since several years now and is capable of taking flight for 2 days in at a time providing reconnaissance from an altitude of over 10,000 metres.
It was reported that, “The forces are also working towards inducting an armed version of the UAV, as well as upgrading the existing fleet into combat UAVs under the ambitious ‘Project Cheetah’ spearheaded by the Indian Air Force.”
However, the Indian Army is planning to place the order for the Spike anti-tank guided missiles which it received last year from Israel under the emergency financial powers granted to the services in the Post-Balakot air strikes scenario.
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In the last order, the Army purchased 12 launchers and 200 Spike missiles.
The report claimed sources saying, “We are planning to acquire more of these anti-tank missiles for tackling any threat from the enemy armoured regiments,”.
Meanwhile, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is also working towards developing an indigenous Man-Portable Anti Tank Guided Missile (MP-ATGM) which is set to meet the bulk requirement of more than 50,000 of these missiles needed by the Infantry units.
The Indian defence forces have also submitted the requirements of acquiring Spice-2000 bombs along with assault rifles, missiles and ammunition and several platforms which will be put in use in case the situation escalates on the LAC.
A leading news agency said, “China has done massive build up along the LAC with the deployment of 20,000 troops and its heavy weaponry and fighter aircraft since May 5 and India has also responded in equal measure to the Chinese force mobilization.”
