The government of India has taken a right decision to mobilize four advanced Israeli Heron Mark-II unmanned areal vehicles (UAVs) at Ladakh Indo China border to beef up India’s strategic surveillance capabilities to face the Chinese military in an aggressive manner.

Recently Indian media has reported that the four advanced Heron Mark-II drones are going to be delivered from Israel to India within two to three months.

Heron Mark-II drones are one of the advanced drones manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries. This medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) Heron Mark-II drones are able to stay airborne at about 45 hours at one stretch and the same will boost India’s strategic surveillance capabilities along the Line of Actual Control with China.

The leased four satellite communication-enabled Heron Mark-II drones will enhance Indian military’s surveillance system along with other MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones, armed Predator drones, sensors, reconnaissance and electronic warfare equipment Indian military has been using for safeguarding the entire 3,488-km LAC with China.

Heron Mark-II unmanned areal vehicles (UAVs), having wide range capabilities some of which are given below:-
a) Having Long-range radars and sensors.
b) Anti-jamming capability and the ability to reach an altitude of 35,000-feet.
c) Able to gather all kinds of intelligence across the LAC without flying closer to the border.
d) This drone is having fully automated take-off and landing facility even under adverse weather conditions.
e) Able to fly at a height of 30,000ft as well as to provide exact battlefield information time to time about the enemy by performing surveillance and target acquisition over larger areas.
f) Able to use for high-altitude land surveillance and maritime patrol missions.
g) Having state-of-the-art avionics, retractable landing gear, along with automatic take- off and landing systems.
Apart from leasing the advanced Israeli Heron Mark-II unmanned areal vehicles (UAVs) from Israel, Indian military has already acquired wide range advanced military armaments such as Spice 2000 bombs, Barak-8 MRSAM missile kits, Harop Suicide Drones, etc. from Israel.

Apart from the same, various defense joint ventures between India and Israel are ongoing now. The Barak-8 system is a joint development venture between Israel Aerospace Industries and India’s Defense Research & Development Organization (DRDO).

Israel’s Aerospace Industries has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with India’s Kalyani Strategic Systems to develop, build and market-selected air defense systems and lightweight special purpose munitions.

During the war between India and Pakistan held In 1971, Israel has immensely helped India militarily . At that time India didn’t have diplomatic ties with Israel. In spite of facing widespread shortage of arms in Israel, still former Israel Prime Minister Golda Meir diverted required critical arms and ammunitions to India. Their military support at that crucial juncture has immensely helped in winning the war against Pakistan in 1971.

In 1999, during the Kargil war between India and Pakistan, Israel has helped India lot by supplying required mortar, ammunition, laser-guided missiles for IAF Mirage 2000H fighters and surveillance drones.

Israel is now India’s most reliable and all weather friend and the relationship between India and Israel has been growing in a rapid manner for the past few years.