Honorable Minister of Defence, Manohar Parrikar,
Chief of the Army, Navy
Secretary of Defence Program,
Dignitaries & Organizers
Ladies and gentleman, dear friends,
I am honored to have this opportunity to address you today and appreciate the invitation to be part of the Defence ‘Make in India’ Summit here in Delhi.
These days Israel and India are marking 24 years of full diplomatic relations. 24 years in which the relations have continuously grown and expanded to more fields and avenues of cooperation, and at the same time we have deepened and widened our cooperation in each and every field. Only two days ago, External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, conclude a very successful visit to Israel. She was warmly received by Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Reuven Rivlin, Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon as well as other ministers and legislators. As a first hand witness I can tell you, without any doubt that this visit, only three months after the historic visit of President Pranab Mukherjee, is yet another solid proof for our intimate and close relations.
We have a stable, balanced and long-term relationship, focusing on issues that are perceived to be existential in nature; namely, food security, development, water, homeland security and obviously defence.
Our relations are based on three basic foundations: Shared Values, Joint Interests and Common Challenges. Most relevant for today's conference, our similar security and defense challenges, including the global and local war on terror.
This partnership is not just “another option”, it is almost a necessity today. In times when defence forces modify their operations and recalibrate their way forward, in times when many militaries are becoming smaller by size but stronger by force, it is important to be innovative. It is crucial to develop the most advanced tools and capabilities while optimizing our efforts and resources invested in to it. This brings us, almost naturally, to the understanding that it is important to go down the road of developing new tools TOGETHER while using the advantages of each side.
It brings down production costs. It brings down developments costs. And it leaves you with more advanced capabilities than what you could have had by going alone.
Overcoming challenges together is needed also because of the changing nature of the battlefield and because of the new global world we live in. Terror groups operate simultaneously in different places around the globe, sometimes learning from other terror groups. States promote terror more than ever, supporting cross border semi-military activities, sometime in third countries. We both face similar challenges require similar solutions.
Dear Friends, we have been following the Indian government’s initiative of ‘Make in India’. Our Defence Minister was in India last year held extensive talks on the matter and said that we are interested to take part in ‘Make In India’ and have proven more than once in the past that we are open for the concept of transfer of advanced high technology and joint development. Both our government’s organs as well as the Israeli companies that are implementing projects are ready to engage in this venture, and as a matter of fact, are already practically engaged in very specific projects of “Make in India”.
We have no doubt in Israel that R&D serves a growth engine for the local industry. That is why we are willing to create more platforms of joint R&D to pinpoint shared challenges, discuss and plan solutions together, and even manufacture them together. Both sides have a lot to gain from this collaboration. Both sides have already gained from this kind of partnership.
A key element in the ‘Make in India’ initiative is joint ventures. The world of defence manufacturing has been changing in recent years and companies including Israeli companies are adapting accordingly. We see more and more ‘Multi Domestic Partnerships’ of companies that are using the natural advantages of local markets for manufacturing. This is an already existing process but it is important to have it done properly thorough joint ventures and collaboration taking into account the corporative advantage and strengths of each partner.
There are already a number of examples of successful joints initiatives between Israel and India in the fields of defence. As an example, a couple of week ago, a successful series of tests of the Barak 8/LRSAM Missiles, jointly developed, have been concluded. What a good example of special partnership which is not based only on a “buyer-seller” mode, but much-much beyond that. We should strive to develop even further this unique partnership in Defence.
This kind of cooperation is not and should not be limited to the issue of defence, as counterterrorism becoming increasingly important.
Today, terror organizations have become national threats to many countries by being more vigilant and advanced and they cannot be dismissed anymore as mere nuisance. The differences between fighting against militaries or well-trained militants - termed as asymmetric warfare - is fading and so do the strict distinctions between Homeland Security and defence. It should not be a surprise then that the tools and means to deal with these issues are more and more overlapping.
India and Israel have signed a landmark agreement almost two years ago, aimed at formalizing and creating a sustainable framework for cooperation. This new formation is gradually shaping and becoming meaningful on the basis of mutual interests.
A changing world, like the one we are living in it today, requires a flexible and adaptive approach to tackle challenges, especially defence and national security challenges. Developing indigenous and local capabilities to confront these challenges is a first step.
The challenges we are facing today are not about to vanish but rather they will transform and reshape. Constantly. Our response, based on cooperation, should aim first and foremost to develop adaptive capabilities suitable for these times and these challenges.
I have no doubt in my mind that the national security interests of each of us, respectfully, have been benefitting from our many years of unique cooperation, and they continue to do so, as we adapt ourselves to changing realities, battlefields, challenges, policies, including, of course, MAKE IN INDIA, priorities and needs.
Ladies and gentlemen, for Israel, India is a top priority partner and we have proven to be reliable friends and partners in times of need. Our main focus was, is and will be to create mutual benefit through real and equal partnership.
Thank you.