Wednesday, January 19 2005 10:33 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: India and Israel have agreed to fulfill a number of bilateral equipment deals and conduct a joint air maneuvers later this year as a mark of their burgeoning Defence ties, a leading Defence weekly has claimed.

The third joint working group at its meeting in Tel Aviv last December discussed New Delhi purchasing Israel Aircraft Industries Heron II medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles and jointly extending the range of the Barak point Defence system for the Indian Navy, the Jane's Defence Weekly, in its latest issue, said.

The two sides also agreed to hold joint exercises in which Israeli F-16 multi-role fighters would be pitted against India's Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30Mk1 multi-role fighters. The venue and schedule of the maneuvers is yet to be disclosed.

The eight-member Indian delegation led by Defence Secretary Ajai Vikram Singh met Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz and Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Defence Amos Yaron and allayed concerns that New Delhi's security relations with Tel Aviv would decline under the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government that assumed office in May last year, the report said.

The Indian delegation also discussed the possible procurement by the Indian Army of El-Op's Portable Lightweight Laser Designator, which is currently undergoing trials at Pokhran in Rajasthan.