India to Purchase Missiles from France

23/1/2012 Arie Egozi – israeldefence.com

After years of purchasing from Israel, the Indian air force purchased five hundred French MIKA air-to-air missiles. An Israeli source said, “European governments are actively involved in defense exports. In Israel, the government doesn’t aid the industries”

As India continues to invest in its military, it is scaling back on its large purchases from Israel, and purchasing from other countries, primarily in Europe, instead.

India recently announced it would purchase five hundred MIKA air-to-air missiles from a French manufacture with a value of $1.2 billion, as part of the upgrade of fifty-one French-manufactured Mirage 2000 fighters.

Even though Rafael’s air-to-air missiles are more advanced than those produced in Europe, India still decided to purchase the French missiles. “India has a set of considerations that it follows when procuring military systems,” said an Israeli source.

According to the source, the French government is actively involved in the export of French military systems, but the Israeli government almost never assists in this area.

India will soon decide which new aircrafts it will purchase. After removing both US candidates, the F-15 and F-18, only two aircraft of European production remain– the Eurofighter and the Rafale.

The deal to purchase the MIKA missiles for the improved Mirage-2000 aircraft decreased Israel’s chances of supplying advanced air missiles for India’s new fighter.