NEW DELHI, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- India signed a deal Friday with Israel to buy three Phalcon airborne early-warning systems for its air force, the Press Trust of India reported.
The Israeli-made Phalcons will be mounted on Russian-made Il'yushin-76s. Indian Defense Secretary Ajay Prasad signed the deal with officials from both nations.
The sale is estimated to be worth $1 billion.
The agreement went ahead after Israel agreed to certain modifications on the system. The United States, which provides key element of the Phalcon, had approved the sale after initial reservations.
After Russia, Israel is India's largest defense supplier.
The sale of the Phalcon is expected to escalate the arms race in South Asia. Pakistan has already expressed concern over the deal because the system will bring large parts of its territory under Indian surveillance.
Pakistan and India, both of which possess nuclear weapons, are locked in an arms race that critics say could lead to a catastrophic war. They have already fought three wars since independence in 1947.
