Israel to Supply Six Mid-Air Refueller Aircraft to India Under a ₹8,000-Crore Defence Agreement
Israel is preparing to supply India with six advanced mid-air refueller aircraft as part of a major defence deal valued at approximately ₹8,000 crore. Under this agreement, six ageing Boeing 767 commercial aircraft will undergo extensive structural and technical modifications before being converted into fully capable tanker aircraft. These specialised aircraft will significantly boost the aerial refuelling capabilities of the Indian Air Force (IAF), which has long been seeking additional refuellers to support its expanding fleet of fighter jets.
The project will be executed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the country’s premier defence manufacturer. IAI has expressed complete readiness to meet the Indian government’s expectations and comply with the 30% Make in India mandate attached to the project. This requirement aims to encourage domestic participation and ensure that a substantial portion of the contract value is reinvested into India’s defence ecosystem through local manufacturing, components, and services.
IAI’s Executive Vice President, Yehuda Lahav, confirmed that India will be the company’s next major customer for aerial refuelling platforms. He emphasized that IAI is fully aligned with India’s localisation policies and is prepared to meet all obligations regarding indigenous content. According to Lahav, the company has both the capability and the willingness to adapt its production strategy to meet India’s specific operational and technical requirements. However, he declined to share details about the manufacturing location or where the modifications to the Boeing aircraft will take place.
Conversion of Old Boeing 767s
Defense sources indicate that if IAI formally secures the contract, it will undertake the conversion of six retired Boeing 767 civil aviation aircraft into fully operational tanker aircraft equipped with advanced refuelling systems. These tankers will then be delivered to the Indian Air Force. The company has emerged as the sole contender in the multi-year bidding process, as competing Russian and European firms were unable to meet the stringent requirement of integrating 3% to 30% indigenous content into the refueller program.
₹8,000 crore deal: Israel to supply 6 mid-air refuellers to India
IAI Emerges as the Only Qualified Vendor
Lahav explained that although multiple global defence companies participated in the earlier stages of the bidding process, IAI remained the only qualified vendor. Other companies either withdrew or were deemed ineligible because they failed to comply with technical benchmarks or did not meet India’s Make in India compliance standards, particularly the requirement for indigenous content in an older aircraft platform.
IAF’s Current Refuelling Capability and the Need for Expansion
The Indian Air Force presently operates six IL-78 mid-air refuelling aircraft of Russian origin, which are stationed at the Agra airbase. These aircraft provide essential support for long-range operations of various IAF and Indian Navy fighter jets. However, the IL-78 fleet has been facing serviceability issues, prompting the need for additional and more reliable refuellers.
Over the past 15 years, the IAF has attempted multiple times to acquire six additional refueller aircraft through global tenders, but each effort encountered hurdles such as procedural delays, pricing issues, or policy changes. To meet immediate operational demands, the IAF also recently leased one tanker aircraft on a short-term basis.
The new deal with Israel is expected to finally provide the IAF with the modern refuelling capability it has been seeking for over a decade. Once inducted, the modified Boeing 767 tankers will greatly enhance the IAF’s ability to conduct long-range missions, maintain aerial presence, and support quick deployment of combat aircraft across different theatres.