This comes just four days before Benjamin Netanyahu's four-day visit to India starting January 14
Ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to India, New Delhi has cancelled a $500 million deal to buy 1600 anti-tank missiles from Israel. While there was word on the deal being cancelled, there was no official statement.
On Wednesday, the Israel government-owned Rafale Advanced Defence Systems announced on Wednesday that the deal has fallen apart.
India was in favour of buying the Spike anti-tank missile that was competing with the US-based Javelin missiles.
A statement from the company said they have received an official communication from the Ministry of Defence in India on the cancellation of the deal.
"Rafael regrets the decision but is committed to continuing to pursue this important goal, as it has done with great success for over two decades, with a variety of innovative and advanced systems and with a commitment to the Indian Ministry of Defense," the company statement reported in Israel said.
The company did not specify any reasons that led to the deal being cancelled.
This comes just four days before Netanyahu's four-day visit to India starting January 14. Rafael's CEO would also be accompanying Prime Minister Netanyahu.
The company recently inaugurated its facilities in Hyderabad.
While the Spike deal did not go through, the Ministry of Defence on Tuesday said 131 Barak missiles and associated equipment are being procured from Israel's Rafael Advance Defence Systems Ltd at a cost of Rs 460 crore.
"These missiles are surface to air missiles designed to be used as a ship-borne anti-missile defence system against anti-ship missiles," said the ministry.
The procurement is being made as part of the government's efforts to bolster operational capability of the armed forces considering the evolving security situation in the region.
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