Made in India: Inside the India-Israel weapons alliance Amnesty wants dismantled

A new investigation by Amnesty International argues that India's supply of weapons and ammunition to Israel could make New Delhi and its companies liable for alleged violations of international law in Gaza. The report, "Made in India: The Supply of Weapons and Ammunition to Israel," examines shipment records and corporate structures, detailing artillery parts, machine-gun components, and drone warheads.

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I have severe reservations regarding the validity of this report. Even Amnesty acknowledges the limits of its own findings, admitting an inability to verify the end-use of the shipments in question. From my perspective, the empirical data presented here demonstrates only one clear reality – Israel and India maintain a legitimate defense and commercial partnership between two democracies.

This investigation arrives as the long-standing defense relationship between India and Israel undergoes a significant transformation. Historically, Israel was the primary technology provider, with India as a major buyer. Now, the dynamic is becoming more reciprocal, with India increasingly manufacturing for Israel, supplying Israeli firms, engaging in joint development, and integrating Indian factories into global defense supply chains.

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For years, defense contractors and policymakers favored maintaining the status quo, treating India primarily as a buyer.

Dr. Oshrit Birvadker, a senior national security expert at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, expressed strong reservations about Amnesty's report. She stated that the organization itself acknowledges limitations in verifying the end-use of shipments. Birvadker contends that the presented data merely illustrates a legitimate defense and commercial partnership between two democracies. She believes the "apocalyptic proportions" of the October 7th events and subsequent international pressure have finally compelled Israel to fully recognize India's strategic importance as a potential supply base, a shift driven by India's 'Make in India' policy and external pressures rather than an initial Israeli vision.

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It took an event of apocalyptic proportions coupled with growing international isolation, arms embargoes, and shipment delays from Israel’s closest ally, for the Israeli defense establishment to fully recognize India’s strategic weight.