New Delhi: Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel, India is considering the purchase of the Iron Beam laser weapon system as part of an expanded defence cooperation agenda expected to be discussed between the two countries.
India is making an all out effort to build an “impregnable” multi-layered air defence shield that would be capable of neutralising drones, rockets and missile threats.
The Iron Beam air defence shield, developed by Israel, is a 100kW-class high-energy laser weapon system designed to intercept short-range rockets, mortars and unmanned aerial vehicles.
The system was developed to complement Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system and according to experts, offers interception at a fraction of the cost of conventional missiles. Each Iron Beam laser system shot reportedly costs only a few dollars, making it economically viable against swarm drone attacks, analysts claim, as reported by timesnow.in.
The interest in the Iron Beam laser system aligns with India’s broader Mission Sudarshan Chakra plan to create a layered air defence architecture by 2035. The Indian Army and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have already tested a 30-kW Directed Energy Weapon under the Mk-II(A) programme. However, Iron Beam’s higher power output could enhance interception capability against faster and more resilient aerial threats.
The Iron Beam India, once integrated into the Sudarshan Chakra framework, would complement systems such as Barak-8 MR-SAM and LR-SAM. India is also studying elements of Israel’s Arrow and David’s Sling systems to improve long-range interception. Operation Sindoor underscored the evolving nature of drone and missile warfare in the region, accelerating New Delhi’s search for next-generation deterrence tools.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already said that discussions would be held to expand security cooperation between the two nations during Modi’s visit.
Netanyahu described India as a “global power” and hinted at a broader strategic alignment involving Middle Eastern and Mediterranean partners. He indicated that defence and security cooperation would feature prominently in bilateral talks.
Defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh’s trip to Israel last November had resulted in commitments to joint development and co-production of advanced systems.
