Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd
Rafael is one of Israel's largest state-owned defence OEMs and a long-standing Indian partner across missile systems. Its Indian footprint includes: the Spike ATGM family (a $500M deal announced 2017
Last verified:
At a Glance
- Headquarters
- Haifa, Israel
- Type
- Manufacturer (listed)
- Founded
- 1948 (as HEMED R&D; renamed Rafael 1958; corporatised 2002)
- India entity
- null
- Listed
- State-owned (Israel Ministry of Defense); bonds on Tel Aviv Stock Exchange
- Key India role
- Rafael is one of Israel's largest state-owned defence OEMs and a long-standing Indian partner across missile systems. Its Indian footprint includes: the Spike ATGM family (a $500M deal announced 2017
- indicators
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- key specs
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What It Is
Rafael is one of Israel's largest state-owned defence OEMs and a long-standing Indian partner across missile systems. Its Indian footprint includes: the Spike ATGM family (a $500M deal announced 2017 was initially scrapped Nov 2017 but Spike-LR ATGMs were later acquired by the Indian Army via emergency procurement in Dec 2019; Spike-NLOS delivered to the IAF in Aug 2023); co-development with IAI/DRDO of the Barak-8 (LR-SAM/MR-SAM) family; the Iron Dome interceptor (Tamir missile) where Rafael is in talks (2026) to set up Indian production to meet export and Israeli demand; and the Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems (KRAS) joint venture in Hyderabad — India's first private missile subsystem manufacturing facility. KRAS has secured orders including a $100M order for 1000 Barak missile kits.
Deployments & Procurement
4 documented India deployment(s)/procurement(s).
| Agency | Context | Year | Quantity / Note | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems (KRAS) JV | Hyderabad-based JV (India's first private missile facility); $100M order for 1000 Barak missile kits | ongoing (JV established ~2017) | n/a (JV) | [1][2][3] |
| Indian Army (Spike-LR emergency procurement) | Indian Army acquires Spike-LR ATGMs via emergency procurement after initial $500M deal was scrapped | 2019 | undisclosed (emergency) | [1][2][3] |
| Indian Air Force (Spike-NLOS) | IAF takes delivery of Spike-NLOS for use against China; potential manufacture in India | 2023 | undisclosed | [1][2][3] |
| Indian Navy / IAF (Barak-8 systems) | Barak-8 LR-SAM/MR-SAM deployed on Indian Navy destroyers and IAF air-defence squadrons — co-developed with IAI & DRDO | ongoing | Multiple ship-sets & squadrons | [1][2][3] |
Import Dependencies
Not analysed in this dossier.
Intelligence Assessment
Methodology: /research/methodology/
FAQ
Did India buy Spike anti-tank missiles from Rafael?
India's relationship with the Spike ATGM has been stop-start. A $500M contract for Spike was announced in March 2017 but cancelled in November 2017 in favour of DRDO's Nag MPATGM. After Nag trials underperformed, the Indian Army acquired Spike-LR via emergency procurement in December 2019, and the IAF took delivery of Spike-NLOS in August 2023 for helicopter-launched long-range strike.
What is KRAS in the Indian defence context?
KRAS — Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems Pvt Ltd — is a Hyderabad-based joint venture between Kalyani Group (Bharat Forge) and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, established around 2017. It is India's first private missile subsystem manufacturing facility and has secured orders such as a $100M contract for 1000 Barak missile kits, plus supplies for the Barak-8 programme.
Is Iron Dome going to be made in India?
Rafael was reported in July 2026 to be in talks to set up Tamir interceptor (Iron Dome) production in India, primarily to meet Israeli domestic demand and export orders — leveraging Indian manufacturing capacity. This would be a Make-in-India arrangement rather than an Indian procurement of Iron Dome batteries.
Sources
- src-01Crediblehttps://www.defensenews.com/breaking-news/2017/03/27/india-to-buy-spike-anti-tank-missiles-from-rafael
India announced $500M Spike ATGM deal with Rafael
- src-02Crediblehttps://thedefensepost.com/2017/11/20/india-israel-missile-deal-spike
India reportedly to scrap $500M Spike deal
- src-03Crediblehttps://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3725493,00.html
Confirms India cancels $500M Spike deal with Rafael
- src-04Crediblehttps://www.janes.com/defence-intelligence-insights/defence-news/indian-army-acquires-spike-lr-atgms
Indian Army acquires Spike-LR ATGMs via emergency procurement
- src-05Crediblehttps://swarajyamag.com/defence/iaf-takes-delivery-of-spike-nlos-hunter-killer-long-range-missile-for-use-against-china-could-soon-be-manufactured-in-india
IAF takes delivery of Spike-NLOS for use against China; potential Indian manufacture
- src-06Indicativehttps://www.krasindia.com
Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems Pvt Ltd — Hyderabad JV official site [Domain root only; demoted to indicative per Atlas source-quality rule.]
- src-07Officialhttps://www.bharatforge.com/media/press-release/2022/112/press_page
Bharat Forge disclosure on KRAS JV
- src-08Indicativehttps://www.facebook.com/TeamAMCA/posts/hyd-based-kras-bags-100-million-order-for-1000-israeli-barak-missiles-kalyani-ra/2058234197819807
KRAS $100M order for 1000 Barak missile kits
- src-09Crediblehttps://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-901960
Rafael in talks to set up Iron Dome interceptor production in India
- src-10Crediblehttps://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/byaub5cmfl
Rafael eyes Iron Dome interceptor production in India
- src-11Indicativehttps://defence.in/threads/israels-rafael-explores-indian-defence-partnerships-for-iron-dome-tamir-missiles-to-meet-domestic-demand-and-export-orders.18123
Rafael explores Indian defence partnerships for Iron Dome Tamir missiles
- src-12Indicativehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barak_8
Barak-8 background — joint IAI-DRDO-Rafael development
- src-13Indicativehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spike_(missile)
Spike ATGM general background