The estimates of defense deals which Israel and India are expected to sign as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Jerusalem are eye-popping with some reaching between $8-10 billion, when also consulting Indian media.
This comes in the aftermath of the 2023-2025 Middle East War in which Israeli air defense systems proved their worth as never before and of the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict which highlighted New Delhi’s vulnerabilities in the areas of drone, missile, and cyberwarfare.
Deals are expected potentially for all four major elements of Israel’s multi-layered missile defense: Israel Aerospace Industries Arrow missile defense system, Rafael’s David’s Sling and Iron Dome, and Rafael and Elbit’s Iron Beam.
This would provide India with air defense solutions against long range ballistic missiles, medium range rockets and cruise missiles, and short range rockets.
Also, deals are expected both in offensive and defensive drone warfare.
There are a variety of Israeli companies competing at high levels and with varied solutions in that arena. A large deal is expected for Elbit’s Hermes 900 drone.
Israel to sign deals for SPICE 1000, Rampage missilesÂ
In the offensive arena, agreements are expected to be struck and in some cases were already struck for: Rafael’s SPICE 1000 guidance kits, Elbit Systems’ Rampage air-to-ground missiles, Ice Breaker naval cruise missiles, and Israel Aerospace Industries’ supersonic Air LORA missiles.
One capability which Indian media are reporting that Modi wants to nail down is firing missiles from a far distance out of range of an enemy’s air defenses, such as the Israeli air force used in June 2025 against Iran.
All of this is happening on top of the fact that India has already been the Jewish state’s largest defense purchaser for years, including 34% of total sales from 2020-2024, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
Likewise, the Defense Ministry’s International Defense Cooperation Directorate (SIBAT) has said that total arms sales to India during this period were worth around $20.5 billion.
Israeli officials have noted that from 2012-2017 defense sales between the countries continually exponentially multiplied, reaching $3.4 billion when Jerusalem sold New Delhi the Barak anti-aerial threats system for naval vessels.
From 2017-2023, the market remained strong, but cooled somewhat as the countries adjusted to Modi’s new “Made in India” policy.
However, by 2024, Israel had started investing more directly in India, with many defense companies establishing subsidiaries there.
With those shifts to a mix of purchases and joint industrial long-term partnerships in defense production, along with the conflicts in Israel and India, the spike in defense deals returned and is expected to crush the old records in 2026.
A variety of cyber, artificial intelligence, and even quantum joint ventures are also expected to be launched as part of Modi’s visit.