India–Israel Cooperation in Spy Satellites: Materialism to Idealism

Abstract

This article argues that India–Israel cooperation in space-based imagery originated under a realist logic but has been developing under an increasingly strong value-based commitment in countering terrorism. In this regard, the relationship is somewhat like the UK-US signals intelligence sharing arrangement that was originally formed to defeat the Axis powers but strengthened over shared values in countering communism and then international terrorism. To establish this, the article provides the first detailed account of the evolution of the Indo-Israel spy satellites cooperation and offers fresh insights into the future trajectory considering the recent security developments affecting India and Israel.