India and Israel signed their biggest weapons deal ever today, with New Delhi agreeing to buy strategic airborne radar systems which it hopes will boost its military edge over nuclear rival Pakistan.
The Israeli-made Phalcon radars will be mounted on Russian IL-76 aircraft in a deal estimated to be more than $1 billion.
"A tripartite agreement was signed this morning at the defence ministry involving Israeli and Russian representatives for the acquisition of AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) and mounting of these," an Indian Defence Ministry spokesman said.
Pakistan has repeatedly expressed concern at growing India-Israel defence ties and said the introduction of advanced systems such as the AWACS would lead to an arms race between the nuclear powers which came close to war last year over Kashmir.
They have since restored full diplomatic relations, but further peace moves have bogged down.
"It gives you a great reach, Pakistan will certainly feel threatened," said air commodore Mr AG Katre of the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses, a New Delhi-based think-tank.
An Israeli Defence Ministry spokeswoman said the three-way agreement had laid the ground for the sale of the Phalcon systems to India. But no details about the value of the deal were given.
An Indian defence source said Russia would procure an old IL-76 from Uzbekistan and re-engineer it before sending it to Israel where the Phalcon radars would be mounted.
New Delhi plans to buy three Phalcon systems which officials and experts say will put large parts of Pakistan under its surveillance, including the volatile border in disputed Kashmir.