New Delhi: Israel may compete with Russia as India's major weapon suppliers if the major high technology deals like the Phalcon airborne warning and control system (AWACS) and Arrow anti missile, now under final negotiations, go through.

The visiting director general of the Israeli Defence Ministry Major General Amos Yaron on September 9 held extensive deliberations with the Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy focussing particularly on the over $ two billion Phalcon deal, which is at present under price negotiations.

India is seeking to buy four of these Phalcon radars, which would be mounted on the IL-76 Airframe to provide the Indian Air Force (IAF), the strategic edge in air control in the South Asian region. The acquisition of the AWACS would make IAF the only Air Force in the region to field such advanced surveillance system.

Besides the Phalcon deal, highly placed sources said that in the meeting with the Israeli delegation, which is accompanying Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the Indian side also focussed attention on the MiG- 21 upgradation, in which Israeli are major sub-contractors.

After meeting the Air Chief, the three-member Israeli delegation consisting of Colonel Yoash Rubin and Colonel Moshe Kravitz held a 75 minute meeting with the Defence Ministry Principal Scientific adviser Dr V K Atre, focusing on setting up joint venture between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Israeli Aircraft Industry (IAI) on manufacturing Futuristic Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) in India.

The Israeli defence delegation has a busy schedule on September 10 when it would hold meetings with Defence Secretary Ajay Prasad and Secretary Defence Production Usha Pillai. These meetings are to speed up supply by Israel of Travos Light Arms for counter insurgency forces.

Yaron is to call on the Naval Chief Admiral Madhavendra Singh, as well as Deputy Chief of the Army Staff Lieutenant General Ashok Chaki.

The delegation would round off its meetings with a call on the Defence Minister George Fernandes.

Fernandes, in turn, will call on Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on September 10 evening.

Meanwhile, the high-powered delegation of Israeli Aviation and Defence majors, who are accompanying Sharon are also holding parleys with their Indian counterparts.

The delegation of chief executives of companies like Rafeal, Elbit, IAI are likely to stay on after Israeli Prime Minister departure on September 11 and continue their talks with Indian officials, sources said.

PTI