Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has announced that the company has been awarded contracts in India totaling almost $2.0bn. These include a $1.6bn contract for the medium-range surface to air missile (MRSAM) system to be deployed by the Indian Army. IAI describes the deal as the largest contract in Israel's Defense Industries' history.

The company will also supply long-range LRSAM air & missile defense systems for the first Indian aircraft carrier being built in India.

MRSAM provides protection against a variety of aerial threats. In its existing version, MRSAM is operational with the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy and Israel Defense Forces. The system includes an advanced phased-array radar, command and control, mobile launchers and missiles with advanced RF seekers.

MRSAM, also known as Barak 8, has been under development for the Indian Army since 2009 by IAI and India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) in collaboration with RAFAEL and IAI/Elta, and various Indian companies including BEL, L&T, BDL and other private vendors.

The missiles have been test-fired multiple times, most recently in June 2016, when three missiles were launched from a land-based mobile launcher against targets simulating enemy threats.