Aero India 2025 | BEL on the Roll

BEL IAI Aerosystems, a joint venture between Bharat Electronics Limited and Israel Aerospace Industries, announced commencement of operations at Aero India 2025. Both companies had earlier established a JV to pave the way for a robust strategic partnership envisaged to provide a single point of contact for extending long-term product support services for India’s defence forces.

                                                                     CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: BEL signs MoU with Godrej & Boyce; with CoreEL Technologies;                                                                       Setting up of Pune Assembly Line; MoU with CSIR-NAL; and starting operations of BEL IAI Aerosystems

Dignitaries and senior officials from India and Israel attended the JV launch held at the BEL stall in Aero India. Among them were CMD, BEL Manoj Jain, President & CEO of IAI Boaz Levy, director (Bangalore Complex), BEL, & chairman of the JV Rajnish Sharma; and VP & general manager Air & Missile Defence Systems at IAI, Oded Jacobowitz.

The JV is an exclusive support entity for post-warranty maintenance of India’s defence systems. This initiative leverages manufacturing capabilities and technological innovations, fostering India’s self-reliance in sync with the ‘Make in India’ vision even while delivering world-class solutions.

Beyond post-warranty maintenance, this collaboration will also lead to the transfer of advanced technological capabilities to India, enabling the development of local expertise in critical defence systems. By establishing a dedicated support infrastructure, the JV will empower India to operate, maintain, and enhance its defence systems independently. The venture’s long-term impact extends to creating job opportunities, upskilling the local workforce, and contributing to the growth of India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem, reinforcing the nation’s position as a global defence player.

This partnership is built on a foundation of deep trust and reflects the enduring and profound relationship between India and Israel. By leveraging their extensive operational expertise and uniting it with the cutting-edge innovation inherent in both companies, the JV is poised to deliver transformative solutions.

Beyond addressing India’s current defence needs, this collaboration strengthens bilateral ties and positions the two nations as global leaders in tackling complex challenges with robust and forward-thinking technologies.

According to Boaz Levy, “This collaboration is a historic milestone as it marks the first-ever joint company established by leading defence firms of Israel and India. It reflects the robust and flourishing relationship between the two nations, and we are excited about the significant contributions this venture will bring to India’s defence capabilities. We extend our gratitude to the tri-services for their unwavering partnership.”

Manoj Jain added, “The launch of BEL IAI Aerosystems (the JV) ushers in a paradigm shift in providing seamless product and life cycle support for MRSAM/ LRSAM systems supplied to the tri-services. The JVC reflects the strategic partnership between India and Israel and the commitment of BEL and IAI to jointly provide state-of-the-art weapon systems and life cycle support for the Indian defence forces.”

Rajnish Sharma said, “The JV, as SPOC, shall strive for significant reduction in the Turn Around Time (TAT) and ensure high level of serviceability of these strategic systems to meet the operational needs of the tri services.”

Oded Jacobowitz added, “This joint v