Will Israel be able to sell the Arrow system to India?

An Arrow 2 missile during a test in 2004

22/1/2012 Arie Egozi - israeldefense.com

Elements within Israel’s industries believe that a change has occurred in the US position regarding the sale of the Arrow system to India following the weakening of the US’s special standing with the sub-continent

A change in the position of the US may indirectly open a door for the export of the Arrow anti-missile system to India. The US is attempting to increase its influence in India after a series of failures. Now, Washington is attempting to sell systems to India for ballistic missile defense.

In the past, India showed interest in the Israeli Arrow system, but the US did not even allow the system to be shown to them. As is known, India purchased the Green Pine radar, which is a part of the Arrow system.

The US recently lost its special standing in India when two US aircraft were cast out of the competition for the selection of the new fighter for India’s air force. Presently, two fighters of European production remain in the competition. Washington is also concerned over the deep incursion of Israel's defense industries in India into fields that it used to control in the region.

Last week, the US announced it was willing to consider selling systems for intercepting ballistic missiles to India in order to assist India in defense against nuclear threats. Presently, China is the central threat to Asian countries.

The US began initial talks with India for the sale of missile-defense systems against ballistic missiles nearly three years ago; most of the talks were at a technical level.

According to analysts, the US hoped to sell the Patriot Pac-3 missile to India, however, India is more interested in building its own systems than procuring parts of them from the US, or alternatively, procuring systems with greater capabilities. One such system is the operational Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 that is presently in the advanced development stage.
 
Since the US is a partner in the development of the Arrow system by way of funding, and because Boeing produces some of the missiles in its factories, the Israel-US system may be presented after all.

“If India requests it, then it will be very difficult for the Americans to refuse, since they are part of the Arrow project and the changes in policy have created a new situation,” said an Israeli source well connected on the subject.

Israel is refusing to respond to such an assessment, but is considering it during deliberations.

India is also taking strides towards its own development of a missile-based system against ballistic missiles, but is currently only in initial development stages.