India and Israel on Tuesday signed a defence cooperation pact aimed at facilitating the exchange of advanced technologies and promoting the co-development and co-production of critical weapon systems and military equipment — marking another milestone in their long-standing strategic partnership. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Tel Aviv following a meeting of the India–Israel Joint Working Group (JWG) on defence cooperation. According to India’s Ministry of Defence, the MoU provides a “unified vision and policy framework” to deepen the already strong collaboration between the two nations. It reaffirmed that the India–Israel defence partnership is “long-standing and based on deep mutual trust and shared security interests.” The ministry added that the agreement identifies a wide range of areas for cooperation, encompassing strategic dialogues, training, industrial collaboration, research and development, and technological innovation. Key focus areas include science and technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and cyber security. The MoU, it said, will enable both nations to share advanced defence technologies, encourage joint innovation, and support the co-development and co-production of next-generation systems. During the JWG meeting, both sides reviewed ongoing collaborative initiatives and acknowledged that India and Israel have mutually benefited from each other’s technological expertise and operational experience. The discussions also covered potential new areas of cooperation, including the strengthening of defence industrial capabilities and the enhancement of joint operational readiness. The delegations further reiterated their shared commitment to combating terrorism, acknowledging it as a common threat that requires sustained collaboration and intelligence sharing. This new agreement reinforces the growing synergy between India and Israel in the fields of defence technology, innovation, and strategic security, positioning the two nations as key partners in regional and global security frameworks.