Israel on Thursday said India remains a “key strategic ally” and described the relationship between the two countries as “resilient through difficult times”. The statement was made by the Israeli Defence Ministry, a day after Director General of Israel’s Ministry of Defence, Maj Gen (Res) Amir Baram’s first working visit to India, according to a report by PTI.

The recent visit of Major General Amir Baram (Retd), Director General of Israel’s Ministry of Defence, to India on July 22-23, 2025, marks a pivotal advancement in the deepening strategic and defence partnership between the two nations.

During his first working visit to New Delhi, Baram engaged in high-level meetings with key Indian officials such as National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.

The discussions focused centrally on expanding areas of cooperation, with a pronounced emphasis on research and development (R&D) collaboration, joint manufacturing initiatives, and strengthening the already robust defence-industrial relationship between India and Israel.

Both sides reiterated the resilience of their partnership, particularly in the face of global and regional challenges, and recognised common security interests as providing a unique opportunity to advance defence-industrial collaboration.

Baram highlighted the “recent operational achievements and common security challenges,” viewing them as an important window to expand cooperation, especially in developing and manufacturing advanced defence technologies. In a gesture further reinforcing this sentiment, Baram met independently with leading Indian defence companies to explore new avenues for industrial collaboration.

A significant portion of the visit involved strategic-level discussions; Baram shared insights on the evolving security landscape in the Gulf region and detailed the operational successes of Operation Rising Lion, an Israeli mission aimed at counteracting Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities, demonstrating Israel’s advanced technological prowess.

Indian authorities echoed the importance of the visit, describing it as a major step forward that “reinforces both sides’ commitment to enhance their strategic partnership.” The Indian defence ministry, following the Baram-Singh dialogue, emphasised a mutual agreement to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation with a long-term perspective and underscored the intention to develop a new institutional framework for the deepening of defence ties.

The two countries also reviewed ongoing activities established after the previous Joint Working Group session in July 2024, signalling a structured approach to advance collaborative projects and joint ventures.

Both India and Israel view their defence partnership as a cornerstone of broader strategic alignment, encompassing joint development and manufacturing of advanced systems—including ongoing projects with significant transfer of technology—and supporting India’s “Make in India” initiative.

The visit concluded with a shared commitment to a sustained and ever-expanding defence relationship, emphasising innovation, technology transfer, and industrial cooperation as critical pillars moving forward.

Based On A PTI Report