India said to again back out of missile deal with Israel

India has again reportedly canceled its deal with Israel’s Rafael defense contractor to purchase half a billion dollars worth of Spike anti-tank guided missiles.

Government officials familiar with the deal tells the Indian Express newspaper that Israel has been informed of the contract being abandoned, in favor of a anti-tank guided missile from the local Defence Research & Development Organisation, which said it could produce the weapons within two years.

The government-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems refuses to comment.

The $500 million deal has been called off and brought back several times already.

In late 2017, the Indian government announced it was opting out of the purchase and going instead with DRDO.

It was revived several months later, following an official state trip to India by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In December 2018, the agreement was again said to be in peril of being canceled, but the reports did not end in an official decision at that time.

— Judah Ari Gross