Indian army chief visits Israel to deepen defense ties: report

Indian Army chief General Deepak Kapoor is in Israel for talks with senior Israeli officials amid Israeli efforts to bolster military ties and export military hardware, local daily The Jerusalem Post reported Sunday.

Kapoor, who arrived in Israel on Saturday, will hold talks with Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of General Staff Gabi Ashkenazi as well as other senior Israeli officials, including Defense Minister Ehud Barak, said the report.

During his four-day visit, Kapoor will also visit the IDF's Southern Command, it added.

Israel and India enjoy close defense ties and last year Israel overtook Russia as the number-one supplier of military platforms to India, said the newspaper.

According to press reports, India is interested in working withIsrael on submarine-launched cruise missiles, ballistic missile defense systems, laser-guided systems, satellites as well as unmanned aerial vehicles.

Source: Xinhua