01-24-2008, 04:31 AM
Interesting story in Deccan Chronicle, 24 Jan., 2008
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->India to launch 2 more Israeli spy sats
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New Delhi, Jan. 23: India and Israel are working together to launch two more spy satellites with the schedule requiring at least one of these to be placed in orbit within this year. The successful launch of the 300-kg TecSar has generated considerable enthusiasm in both India and Israel with the satellite expected to start sending the first images in early February.
The decision to launch the TecSar spy satellite, which is also referred to as Polaris, was taken shortly after the UPA government came to power. The deal was finalised during the visit of Israeli defence ministry director-general Amos Yaron to New Delhi three years ago. It is the first of three such satellites agreed upon between the two governments with the government here oblivious to the adverse reaction to the launch from its traditional friends in West Asia. The launch was effected in great secrecy with only a couple of mainstream Israeli newspapers getting a whiff of the new cooperation between New Delhi and Tel Aviv just a week before the launch.
The Israeli media, which has had access to more information than given out by the government here, has pointed out that the satellite was intended to spy on Iran and Syria. The government here has tried to give the strategic cooperation a âcommercialâ colour by highlighting the fact that India is virtually renting out its launching pad for such satellites. It did the same for Italy, it is pointed out, at a cost that is supposedly 70 per cent less than offered by other such countries for putting satellites in orbit. This runs counter to reports in the Israeli and international media of growing strategic cooperation between the two countries and that India hopes to benefit from the satellite with information on Pakistan, which is not outside the orbit of TecSar.
Israeli officials have told their media that the satellite, by far the most sophisticated launched by Israel till date, will be able to get images during the night and through inclement weather conditions. Sources here said that Israel wanted the satellite launched from India because of a certain position required to monitor the countries that it has targeted. The term used by Israeli officials to describe Iran and other countries it will use the satellite to spy upon is âenemyâ. Iran has been identified as the primary target of the satellite launched from India despite the close relations between New Delhi and Tehran.
<b>It is clear that the spy satellite launch has been delayed by a few months. </b>It is not clear why although <b>Indian officials maintained it was because of âtechnicalâ reasons.</b> The <b>Israeli media, interestingly, first claimed that it was because of US pressure that was finally overcome after US President George W. Bush was convinced that it was required by both India and Israel for their security.</b>
A commentator has claimed that the <b>assassination of Pakistan Peopleâs Party leader Benazir Bhutto tipped the balance for India.</b> More lately, the <b>Israeli newspapers have attributed the delay to pressure from Iran. A leading Israeli newspaper, the Jerusalem Post, has said that Iran had used the âIndian Opposition parties â particularly the Muslim and Communist political factions â to prevent the launchâ.</b>
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->India to launch 2 more Israeli spy sats
Â
New Delhi, Jan. 23: India and Israel are working together to launch two more spy satellites with the schedule requiring at least one of these to be placed in orbit within this year. The successful launch of the 300-kg TecSar has generated considerable enthusiasm in both India and Israel with the satellite expected to start sending the first images in early February.
The decision to launch the TecSar spy satellite, which is also referred to as Polaris, was taken shortly after the UPA government came to power. The deal was finalised during the visit of Israeli defence ministry director-general Amos Yaron to New Delhi three years ago. It is the first of three such satellites agreed upon between the two governments with the government here oblivious to the adverse reaction to the launch from its traditional friends in West Asia. The launch was effected in great secrecy with only a couple of mainstream Israeli newspapers getting a whiff of the new cooperation between New Delhi and Tel Aviv just a week before the launch.
The Israeli media, which has had access to more information than given out by the government here, has pointed out that the satellite was intended to spy on Iran and Syria. The government here has tried to give the strategic cooperation a âcommercialâ colour by highlighting the fact that India is virtually renting out its launching pad for such satellites. It did the same for Italy, it is pointed out, at a cost that is supposedly 70 per cent less than offered by other such countries for putting satellites in orbit. This runs counter to reports in the Israeli and international media of growing strategic cooperation between the two countries and that India hopes to benefit from the satellite with information on Pakistan, which is not outside the orbit of TecSar.
Israeli officials have told their media that the satellite, by far the most sophisticated launched by Israel till date, will be able to get images during the night and through inclement weather conditions. Sources here said that Israel wanted the satellite launched from India because of a certain position required to monitor the countries that it has targeted. The term used by Israeli officials to describe Iran and other countries it will use the satellite to spy upon is âenemyâ. Iran has been identified as the primary target of the satellite launched from India despite the close relations between New Delhi and Tehran.
<b>It is clear that the spy satellite launch has been delayed by a few months. </b>It is not clear why although <b>Indian officials maintained it was because of âtechnicalâ reasons.</b> The <b>Israeli media, interestingly, first claimed that it was because of US pressure that was finally overcome after US President George W. Bush was convinced that it was required by both India and Israel for their security.</b>
A commentator has claimed that the <b>assassination of Pakistan Peopleâs Party leader Benazir Bhutto tipped the balance for India.</b> More lately, the <b>Israeli newspapers have attributed the delay to pressure from Iran. A leading Israeli newspaper, the Jerusalem Post, has said that Iran had used the âIndian Opposition parties â particularly the Muslim and Communist political factions â to prevent the launchâ.</b>
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