Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – India has decided to purchase anti-tank missiles from Israel in a $525 million deal, instead of an alternative offer from the U.S.

The “Spike” missiles slated for India are produced by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. The missiles have the capability to lock on their targets before firing.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel visited India several times, most recently in September, to pitch the joint production of a new generation of  Lockheed Martin’s Javelin missiles to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But the Indian government decided to go with the Israeli missiles.

This is not the first major Indian purchase of Israeli military technology, as the Indian army’s Northern Command recently bought 49 miniature unmanned aerial vehicles (more commonly known as drones) from the Jewish state. India plans to have the drones patrol its borders with Pakistan and China. Israel said the drones will be unarmed, The Diplomat magazine reported.