The advantage may now shift to India in the region.
Delivery of three Phalcon early warning radar systems to India soon: Shalom
NEW DELHI (AFP) Feb 11, 2004
Visiting Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said Wednesday that Israel would "shortly" be making deliveries of three Phalcon airborne early warning radar systems to India.
"Finally we have succeeded in implementing the deal and we expect to make deliveries shortly," Shalom told reporters in New Delhi after his 40 minute meeting with Defence Minister George Fernandes in New Delhi.
India signed the deal -- believed to be worth about one billion dollars -- with Israel and Russia in October, a month after the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to India.
The deal was signed after a go-ahead from the United States, which had earlier blocked the sale of Phalcons to both India and China.
"We have agreed on the sale of Phalcons," Shalom said Wednesday, adding, "We had some problems with the Americans till recently, we have now opportunity to finalise the deal."
Israel coordinates its military sales with Washington because the two nations' defense industries are closely linked and often share technological advances.
Under the terms of the agreement, Israel would buy Ilyushin-76 cargo aircraft from Uzbekistan which would then be sent to Russia to be fitted with new high-powered engines.
After structural modifications, the aircraft would be sent to Israel to be mounted with cutting edge avionics and the complete aircraft would be delivered to India.
After Russia, Israel in recent years has become India's second largest defence supplier with armament sales from Tel Aviv to New Delhi touching 60 billion rupees (1.25 billion dollars) in 2001.
Linkhttp://www.spacewar.com/2004/040211143317.5x3us33k.html 
