By Marc Kahlberg
Within the framework of prime minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel, it has been reported that India has signed two defense deals with Jewish nation.
The reports describe defense deals that include anti-tank missiles and a naval air defense weapon system. The first trip to Israel by an Indian prime minister indicates that the close cooperation goes beyond Delhi’s status as the largest buyer of Israeli military hardware.
There is overwhelming consensus that both countries face the same common threats of terrorism. Israel can no doubt assist India and Prime Minister Modi’s greater plan of committing to even stronger relations with Israel and the US for common factors.
There is no doubt that this visit is a huge milestone as the military hardware deals that have long been in the process of negotiation are now seemingly concluded and just a tip of the iceberg of Modi’s $250 billion dollar upgrade of the Indian armed forces in light of ongoing and mounting tensions with China and Pakistan.
Israel has been the 3rd largest arms supplier to India in the past three fiscal years according to an Indian Parliament report. In light of the emerging “Cyber Arms” race that is fast taking shape globally it is expected that Israel will be a prominent supplier of cyber security solutions to an emerging Digital India.
The CEO of Vital Intelligence Group, an Israel based provider of cyber intelligence Solutions, Marc Kahlberg, stated that military infrastructure is now undergoing strategic change in establishing dedicated divisions and tactical units to not only defend and protect against cyber threats but indeed create national high tech cyber intelligence command and control platforms to proactively thwart threats that are of a strategic national security interest.
Kahlberg pointed out that the only comprehensive tool to stay ahead of the cyber threats is to prepare for cyber war as any military would prepare for conventional war.
Kahlberg, went on to mention that he believes Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minster Netanyahu see common ground on the advancement of cyber cooperation in a world where the cyber space has become a dominating factor of our daily lives.
With 25 years of diplomatic relations between India and Israel, Kahlberg, who was the creator of a secure zone concept, which later became known as “Safe City” in Israel’s Netanya during several terror attacks, dealing with extreme terror and violent organized crime, he visions that the cyber war of the future will be just as violent however the terror will be on a mass scale and even more difficult to contain due to the anonymity and stealth platforms cyber terror is able to invoke.
The author is the CEO and MD of Vital Intelligence Group.