(AFP) - India's defense ministry announced on Tuesday that the country is to buy 131 Barak surface-to-air missiles from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems for India's first aircraft carrier in a $70 million deal. It was unclear whether the deal announced Tuesday was part of a military deal worth nearly $2 billion, signed last April, which includes the supply over several years of medium-range surface-to-air missiles, launchers and communications technology.
A ministry statement said, "This procurement will address the deficiency of precision-guided munitions in the IAF (Indian Air Force) arsenal, besides enhancing the offensive capabilities of the IAF." Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will lead a business delegation to India on a four-day trip expected in mid-January.