The Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Aaron Abramovich, came to India on a three-day visit. He met the Indian External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, on 8 July 2008 and briefed him on the progress made with the Palestinians, while reiterating the importance of a broad, determined international front against the Iranian nuclear threat. The two also discussed bilateral cooperation in many fields, particularly in the economic and agricultural spheres. Another official delegation from the Israeli Foreign Ministry was in India to discuss an agreement regarding Israeli citizens sentenced to prison in India.

The emerging relations between India and Israel have been reinforced, with Israel looking for an Asian power to intervene in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Thus, Israeli interests in Asia extend to the most important country in geopolitical and geostrategic terms, namely India. The importance of the relationship between Israel and India arises from the premise of Israeli foreign policy, which seeks to invest in an international climate and conditions that serve Israel's national goals, especially concerning the Arab-Israel conflict, and the emerging and increasing role of Asia's military forces and their international impact. India, on the other hand, wants to upgrade its civilian and military technology, but more importantly, enhance its military capabilities to achieve its national goals, like the resolution of its tensions with Pakistan. In the absence of Arab efforts to draw India closer to their cause, Israeli-Indian relations and interactions with India make it an important country that enjoys good relations with both, the Arab countries and Israel. It can therefore, act as a facilitator in bringing peace to the Middle East.

Even Iran, known for its anti-Israeli rhetoric, is keen to promote political and economic ties with India, rather than be obsessed with Indo-Israeli ties. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Tehran later this year is expected to bolster ties with Iran. His visit to Iran could also become an important factor in bringing peace to the Middle East. One of the major causes for tension in relations between India and Israel is Iran. Under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's leadership, Iran has led a virulent anti-Israeli tirade since assuming power. India can make a positive intervention to change Iran's official stand against Israel.

The motives of both countries in pursuing cooperation range from strategic, security and military to political and economic. The most important is the nuclear dimension. India makes use of its nuclear cooperation with Israel to maintain qualitative superiority over Pakistan. Other than nuclear cooperation, military cooperation between Israel and India covers traditional and non-traditional weapons. This cooperation includes the transfer of advanced military technology from Israel, with the approval of the US, to India. The details are irrelevant, but the guiding principle is worth a mention. The Israeli vision for building relations with India is based on one premise: that any non-Arab and non-Islamic country that possesses advanced traditional and non-traditional military capabilities, is a strategic ally of Israel. The Indian premise, on the other hand, stipulates that close ties with Arab countries, technologically far behind Israel, are not worth sacrificing, for closer ties with Israel.

In 2004, both sides concluded a deal of US$1.1 billion for the supply of three Phalcon advanced airborne early warning systems to India. In early July, India's Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved this US$2.5 billion defence project with Israel. The development of missiles, capable of intercepting aircraft and other aerial targets at a range of 70 kilometers, is to be undertaken by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries. This is not only the largest single deal involving Israel, but also marks a new phase in defence-related cooperation between the two countries. The decision on missile development conveys a number of messages. Until now, Indo-Israeli military ties have largely been a cash-and-carry affair. India's desire to modernize its aging Soviet-made weapons and defence systems was made possible by Israeli expertise in upgrading their avionics.

New Delhi has not allowed its differences over the Palestinian issue to undermine its defence ties with Israel. There are suggestions that New Delhi will become the second most important partner for Israel after Washington. Given its troubled relations with Europe, Israel is increasingly looking towards other players like India for promoting long-term relations. Seen in this larger context, the missile deal not only marks a synergy between the two defence establishments, but also has all the ingredients of a strategic partnership.