How Israel Secretly Helped India Win the Kargil War: Former Israeli Air Force Officers Reveal Hidden Mission
Twenty-seven years after the Kargil War, two former Israeli Air Force officers have shared new details about a secret defence partnership that helped India during the 1999 conflict with Pakistan. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
In an exclusive interview with NDTV on Kargil Vijay Diwas, former Israeli Air Force officers Ami and Shlomo revealed how Israeli technology and engineers quietly supported the Indian Air Force during Operation Vijay and Operation Safed Sagar.
According to the two officers, what started as a normal defence project quickly became an emergency mission after the Kargil conflict broke out.
📌 Kargil War Support Timeline
November 1996
│
├── India and Rafael sign Mirage 2000 upgrade agreement
│
├── 1996–1999
│ Israeli and Indian teams conduct testing
│
├── March 1999
│ Aircraft trials completed
│
├── May 1999
│ Kargil War begins
│
├── Emergency call from Indian Defence Attaché
│
├── Israeli engineers fly to India
│
├── Mirage 2000 equipped with advanced targeting system
│
└── Precision strikes help India during Operation Safed SagarMirage 2000 Upgrade Began Before the War
The partnership started in November 1996, when Israeli defence company Rafael Advanced Defence Systems signed an agreement with India to equip Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft with the Litening Targeting Pod.
The advanced targeting system allowed pilots to identify and strike enemy positions with much greater accuracy.
Ami, who managed the project in India, said the programme was strongly supported by his late supervisor, David Zeit, long before the agreement was officially signed.
Between December 1996 and March 1999, Israeli engineers worked closely with India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to test and integrate the system.
Emergency Phone Call Changed Everything
Just weeks before the Kargil War intensified, Ami received an urgent phone call from India’s Defence Attaché in Tel Aviv, Group Captain N.A.K. Browne, who later became Chief of the Indian Air Force.
The call came on a Friday night during the Jewish Sabbath, when most activities in Israel stop.
By Sunday morning, Ami, Shlomo and other specialists had packed their equipment and flown to India.
When they arrived, the commanding officer at the Indian Air Force base informed them that the situation required far more work than originally expected.
The Israeli team worked day and night alongside Indian personnel to prepare the aircraft for combat operations.
Combining Israeli, French and American Technology
One of the biggest technical challenges was making three different military systems work together.
The team successfully integrated:
- 🇮🇱 Israeli Litening Targeting Pod
- 🇫🇷 French Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft
- 🇺🇸 American laser-guided bombs
Shlomo explained that these systems had to operate perfectly together under real combat conditions, requiring extensive testing and troubleshooting.
The engineers made dozens of visits to India before the system was fully operational.
📊 Technology Integration During the Kargil War
| Component | Country |
|---|---|
| Mirage 2000 Fighter Jet | 🇫🇷 France |
| Litening Targeting Pod | 🇮🇱 Israel |
| Laser-Guided Bombs | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Combat Operations | 🇮🇳 India |
Praise for Indian Air Force Officers
Both former Israeli officers praised the professionalism of the Indian Air Force personnel they worked with.
They specifically mentioned:
- Squadron Leader Gershon Arora
- Then Lieutenant Rajeev Kumar Dash (later Group Captain)
- Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar
- Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari
Shlomo said the precision strikes carried out over Tiger Hill exceeded Israeli expectations and became a major turning point during the conflict.
Friendship Beyond the Battlefield
Ami said he travelled to India more than 100 times between 1996 and 2004.
He described his relationship with India as much more than a defence partnership, saying he had “fallen in love” with the country and formed lifelong friendships with Indian Air Force officers.
Shlomo added that his son now works for Israeli defence company Elbit Systems and regularly travels to India, continuing the long-standing defence relationship between the two countries.
First Visit to Kargil
In an emotional conclusion to the interview, Shlomo revealed that he plans to visit the Kargil War Memorial for the first time next month.
He said he wants to see the mountains where a mission planned thousands of kilometres away helped support India’s military operations during the 1999 Kargil War.
Key Highlights
- Israeli officers reveal previously undisclosed details of cooperation during the 1999 Kargil War.
- Rafael’s Litening Targeting Pod significantly improved the Mirage 2000’s precision strike capability.
- Israeli engineers rushed to India after an emergency request during the conflict.
- The system successfully integrated Israeli, French and American military technology.
- Former Israeli officers praised the courage and professionalism of Indian Air Force pilots during Operation Safed Sagar.
