New Delhi: On April 5, the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution urging an arms embargo on Israel and calling on countries to “cease the sale, transfer and diversion of arms, munitions and other military equipment to Israel.” India abstained from voting in favour of this resolution.
The resolution came just two weeks after the publication of “Anatomy of a Genocide,” a report by Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine, that gave the world evidentiary details on how Israel has committed genocide in Gaza.
This report reaffirms the January preliminary ruling of the International Court of Justice that found that “some of the acts and omissions” committed by Israel during its attacks on Gaza “appear to be capable of falling within the provisions of the [Genocide] Convention.”
But if you turn to India, it would seem that for both the government and the private sector, it’s business as usual with Israel and its military companies.
DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries
Just this March, Israeli state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) launched its very own, wholly-owned company called Aerospace Services India (ASI) in New Delhi at the end of March.
Danny Lauber, its Chief Executive, said that ASI is the only authorised original equipment manufacturer for India’s Medium-Range Surface-To-Air Missile (MRSAM) system. It will provide components, maintenance, repair and support.
The MRSAM system was developed jointly by IAI and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), starting in 2017 through a $1.6 billion contract. At the time, which IAI had said in a press release at the time was Israel’s “largest defence contract” in the country’s history.
Also this March, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) that tracks international arms transfers, published its 2023 factsheet that listed India as the top arms importer in the world. Not only that, India was Israel’s top recipient for arms exports, receiving 37% of its total exports.
Adani Enterprises Limited, Elbit Systems and SK Group
Meanwhile, the export of more than 20 Hermes 900 drones to Israel by Adani-Elbit Advanced Systems was widely reported in February this year.
Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL) entered into a joint venture (JV) with Israel’s Elbit Systems in 2016 through its subsidiary Adani Defence and Aerospace Limited to develop drones. Two years later, Adani-Elbit Systems opened its manufacturing unit in Hyderabad, from where these drones were exported to Israel.
Four years later, AEL, through its subsidiary Ordefence Systems, entered into a JV with another Israeli arms company called Israel Weapons Industries (IWI), through buying majority stake in PLR Systems.
IWI manufactures firearms for the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and is a subsidiary of the SK Group, owned by businessman Samy Katsav, once the point person supplying Israeli arms to the Shah of Iran.
“PLR” used to stand for Punj Lloyd Raksha Systems, IWI’s initial partner, but was changed to “Precise, Lethal, Reliable” after the Adani acquisition. PLR Systems manufactures small arms such as assault rifles, machine guns and grenade launchers and markets itself as India’s “first private sector arms manufacturer.”
Bharat Forge, Astra Microwave and Rafael Advanced Defence Systems
The Hermes 900 exports happened alongside Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defence Systems promoting its defence and communications systems at the Aero India Conference this year in Bangalore.
Like IAI, Rafael Systems is also owned by the state of Israel.
Rafael entered into a JV with Kalyani Strategic Systems, which is owned by Bharat Forge, back in 2015. This JV established Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems Pvt. Ltd. (KRAS) and it became India’s first privately-owned missile manufacturing company.
In August last year, the Indian defence ministry gave KRAS a Rs 287 crore or $34 million contract to produce missile systems.
What’s the harm?: Weapons in Gaza
It has been widely reported that Israeli defence companies test their weapons on Palestinians, before selling these to international customers and the Israeli government. The words they use are “battle-tested” or “combat-proven.”
IAI’s subsidiary Elta Systems, along with the IDF and Israel’s Defence Research & Development Directorate, are testing unmanned D9 bulldozers, called “The Panda”, in Gaza, according to Israeli news website Haaretz.
The D9 bulldozers have been “extensively” used against Gaza in the past for “large-scale demolitions,” according to Who Profits Research Center that sheds light on the businesses behind Israel’s occupation of Palestinian and Syrian lands. But amidst the Gaza war, Israel started “adapting” these bulldozers to become autonomous; this technology was co-developed by IAI’s Elta Systems.
One of IAI’s most well-known weapons is the Heron TP drone, also known as the killer drone. Two of these, already deployed in Israel but owned by Germany, were loaned by the latter to the former and “instantly put to use against the Palestinians,” according to an application submitted by the Republic of Nicaragua to the International Court of Justice against Germany on March 1 of this year. Nicaragua claims that Germany has contributed to committing genocide in Gaza. The loaned Heron TP drones were cited as one of the weapons used to enable it. The ICJ said on April 30 that it was turning down Nicaragua’s request for provisional measures against Germany but reiterated that countries selling arms must be mindful of their obligations under the Genocide Convention.
Attached is the footage of the overnight strikes in the Gaza Strip pic.twitter.com/S6p93GBrMg
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 12, 2023
Alongside this, Elbit’s Iron Sting, also called Steel Sting, is a “precision-guided” mortar bomb that can go through concrete walls. It was “presented” at this February’s Singapore Air Show. According to the company, it was put through a “pre-operational test” in 2021 during Israel’s 11-day attack that it called “Operation Guardian of the Walls” which killed around 256 Palestinians, including 67 children. It is now being tested more widely in the “battlefield” and according to Elbit “customers around the globe are keenly observing [it’s] performance.”
יחידת מגלן בשיתוף חיל-האוויר, סיכלה עשרות מחבלים באמצעות מגוון אמצעי לחימה, ביניהם פצצת מרגמה (פצמ״ר) חדשנית ומדויקת, הנקראת “עוקץ פלדה”.
צפו בתיעוד מתקיפת משגר רקטות באמצעות “עוקץ פלדה” pic.twitter.com/ucphdgboJN
— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 22, 2023
Investigate is a global database that lists companies that are profiting from and supporting state violence, including against Palestinians. It reported that Elbit has manufactured white phosphorus munitions, as mentioned in its 2012 annual financial report that it submitted to the US Securities and Exchange Commission. It hasn’t mentioned it in subsequent reports. White phosphorus causes severe burns “often down to the skin”, according to the Human Rights Watch, which confirmed its use by the Israeli military against civilians in the current war in Gaza. This reporter could not independently verify if the white phosphorus currently being used is manufactured by Elbit Systems.
On April 1, seven aid workers from the nonprofit World Central Kitchen (WCK), who were traveling in a convoy of three vehicles in the central Gaza Strip, were killed in a series of three missile strikes. These were most likely Spike missiles, according to Chris Cobb-Smith, a former British army personnel and UN weapons inspector, quoted by the BBC. Spike missiles are developed by Rafael. These were launched at the food aid workers from an Elbit Hermes 450 drone.
Elbit Hermes. Photo: Amit Agronov/ IDF Spokesperson’s Unit/Wikimedia Commons
All in a day’s work: Profits, War and Occupation
The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is a US-based Quaker nonprofit that has worked in Gaza and runs the Investigate database. It included Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Elbit Systems, Rafael Advanced Systems and the SK Group in its list of companies that have been profiting from Israel’s attacks on Gaza since the beginning of this war on October 7th last year.
Elbit Systems’ revenue for the last quarter of 2023 was $1.6 billion, a 7% increase from the last quarter of 2022. Notably, Elbit earned 12% more in profits in this period from sale of land systems, including sale of ammunition and munitions to Israel, according to its financial report.
Similarly, IAI reported that 2023 was its “highest grossing year since the company’s inception.” Its sales in the last quarter of 2023, starting October and ending in December, amounted to $1.4 billion. The company’s CEO Boaz Levy said: “Israel Aerospace Industries’ financial report for 2023 well reflects a year of significant and varied activities – one in which the country was at war during the last quarter.”
For Rafael Advanced Systems, sales increased by 19% to $1.2 billion in the last quarter compared to 2022.
All three have order backlogs or pending orders worth $18 billion (IAI), $17.8 billion (Elbit Systems) and $14 billion (Rafael). More than 70% of IAI and Elbit Systems’ orders were from international customers, while for Rafael, it’s more than 50%.
Both Elbit Systems and IAI have been marked for divestment by Investigate.
Divestment means selling off one’s investments in a company. In the context of the Gaza war and charges of genocide, it has meant shining a light on businesses that are directly or indirectly involved in the Israeli occupation of Palestine and rights violations against Palestinians.
According to the Investigate database, IAI has been marked because it “supports and maintains illegal settlements” in Occupied Palestine, makes killer drones, surveillance and other weapons systems that cause human rights violations.
Elbit Systems has been marked because its weapons are used in “war crimes” against Palestinians, and its surveillance systems are used along walls and checkpoints in Occupied Palestine.
The representatives of DRDO, Adani Enterprises Limited and Bharat Forge were contacted via email as well as a follow-up call to comment on their Israeli partners profiting from the war on Gaza, amidst calls for ceasefire and charge of genocide against Israel.
They were specifically asked: Why do you continue to do business with IAI/Rafael/Elbit Systems, despite the fact that the United Nations just passed a resolution urging for an arms embargo on Israel?
A spokesperson from Bharat Forge, owned by the multinational Kalyani Group, said: “Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems is a joint venture formed in August 2015 for engagement on India Specific programmes/requirements only. The entity does not undertake any export-related activity at all. Kalyani Group as a responsible corporate organisation is fully aligned with the policies laid out by the Government of India and in full compliance of various export control policies.”
The spokespersons for AEL and DRDO had not responded at the time this article was published.
The Indian representative at the UN Human Rights Council was asked via email the reason that India abstained from voting on an arms embargo against Israel. He also has not yet responded.
Shir Hever is the military embargo coordinator for the Palestinian Boycott, Divest, Sanctions or BDS movement that organises actions to enforce international law on Israel, inspired by the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. He said, in the context of the International Court of Justice ruling, it’s “plausible” that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians: “This is enough to create obligation to third states, such as India, to respect the military embargo. Weapons may not be sold to Israel, bought from Israel or transited to Israel. Whatever atrocities may be committed by the Israeli forces using such weapons, the Indian authorities and defence companies will not be able to argue that they did not know in advance that the risk exists.”
Meher Ali is an independent journalist and researcher reporting on human rights, politics and culture from India and the US. She also hosts a literary books podcast called ‘‘Last Book Alive’. She tweets @aashi310
Note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified Indra Mani Pandey as the Indian representative at the UNHRC.
