Israel, India Finalize Phalcon Deal, Protestors Arrested

Israeli Defense Ministry Director-General Major General Amos Yaron and Indian Air Force Commander Chief Air Marshal S. Krishnaswamy held a one-hour meeting, Indian and Israeli officials said.

"The two sides discussed a series of issues but their talks mainly focused on our requirement for the three Phalcon AWACS systems for which there are no obstacles now," an Indian air force official said on condition of anonymity.

The meeting came after an Israeli official accompanying Sharon told reporters that the long-awaited deal would be signed within weeks, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The Phalcon is an Israeli-developed long-range radar warning and control system carried in a Russian Ilyushin-76 cargo plane.

"It will probably be another couple of weeks because of a couple of bureaucratic lapses, things that have to be worked out," an Israeli official said.

Israeli defense sources hinted it was likely the source of the delay hinged on the issue of the transfer of source code for the system.

The United States, which had been blocking the sale of Phalcons to both India and China, gave Israel the go-ahead last month to sign the Airbourne Warning and Control System (AWACS) deal with New Delhi.

Indian Defense Ministry sources said that beside the Phalcon talks, Yaron and Krishnaswamy discussed upgrading India’s crash-plagued MiG-21 Russian fighter jets.

Yaron, heading a two-member Israeli military team comprising Colonel Yoash Rubin and Colonel Moshe Kravitz, also held a 75-minute meeting with Indian Defense Ministry’s Chief Scientific Adviser, V. K. Atre, the sources said.

"The talks focused on a possible collaboration between state-owned Israeli Aircraft Industry and India’s Defense Research and Development Organization for joint production of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones)," one source said.

The Israeli military team is set to hold a series of meetings Wednesday, September 10, with Indian military planners.

Talks are likely to accelerate the sale of Israeli Travos infantry weaponry for counter-insurgency operations, especially in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

Yaron will hold talks Wednesday with India’s naval chief Admiral Madhvendera Singh and army chief General N.C. Vij, while Defense Minister George Fernandes will call on Sharon after the day’s negotiations.

Speaking at an official welcome ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential palace, Sharon said Israel was "very interested" in developing and strengthening relations with India.

"No doubt, as a leader of the non-aligned bloc of countries, India plays a significant role in international politics and Israel would like to avail itself of its ties with India in order to improve Israel’s position in the international arena," an Israeli official told reporters, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

Sharon arrived in New Delhi Monday, September 8, leading a 150-strong delegation of politicians and senior business executives, many from the defense, high tech and agriculture industries.