Haaretz Nearby missile deal between Israel and India

The Israeli daily Haaretz said yesterday that the Israeli air industries company is about to sign a deal at a cost of 100 million dollars to provide India with missiles for protecting its gunboats.

The paper added that the company had actually sold "Barak missiles" to the Indian army at a cost of 260 million dollars. Officials at the company abstained from commenting on the report.

The SS Barak naval missile is backed by a radar system, fixed on the ship to ensure early warning for Cruise missiles, smart bombs and military helicopters threats. The missile can be launched from a spearhead base fixed on a ship. Its range is between 500 meters to 10 kilometers.

In October Israel signed the largest weapons deal with New Delhi by approving to buy an airborne radar system that it hopes to enhance its security defenses against Pakistan. Pakistan had repeatedly expressed its concern over the developed Indian- Israeli defense relations. These relations were on top of agenda of the visit made by the Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon to New Delhi in September this year.