India Strike Used Israeli-Made Weapons, Report Says

On Tuesday, the Indian Air Force (IAF) had crossed the de facto border between the Indian and Pakistani-held areas of Kashmir, for the first time since 1971. The IAF fired multiple missiles utilizing Israeli-made Spice-2000 guidance kits, Indian news outlet The Print reported the same day.

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Tensions between India and Pakistan have been on the rise since a suicide bombing on February 14 hit an Indian paramilitary convoy in Kashmir, that killed 40 Indian soldiers. Jaish-e-Mohammed, a group that is classified as a terrorist group by the United Nations, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan Tweeted his support for settling the uptick in conflict through diplomatic means.

Prime Minister Imran Khan offers India to settle issues through dialogue.
(Part-1) pic.twitter.com/F3BWEViyyg

— Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) February 27, 2019

Manufactured by Israeli defense contractor Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., the Spice-2000 kits turn air-droppable unguided warheads into precision-guided weapons.

Rafael declined Calcalist’s request for comment.

India accounted for 49% of Israeli arms export between 2013 and 2017, making Israel the third largest supplier to India, according to a 2017 report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). In 2017 alone, $2 billion worth of missile system deals were signed between state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and India, making up nearly 22% of Israel’s overall $9.2 billion in arms exports sales that year.