The identification codes specified in the documentation, obtained unofficially by the Solidarity Network Against the Palestinian Occupation (RESCOP), suggest the Borkum contained
20 tonnes of rocket engines, 12.5 tonnes of rockets with explosive charges, 1,500kg (3,300 pounds) of explosive substances and 740kg (1,630 pounds) of charges and propellants for cannons.
Spanish newspaper El Pais reported that the Marianne Danica left from Indiaās port of Chennai and was en route to Israelās port of Haifa with a cargo of 27 tonnes of explosives.
According to SIPRI,
the Indian company Premier Explosives Limited makes solid propellants ā a significant part of the rocket motors, but not the whole motor ā for MRSAM and LRSAM missiles. These are the Indian designations for Barak 8 medium and long-range surface-to-air missiles of Israeli design.
The companyās executive director, T Chowdary, admitted to exporting to Israel amid the current war in Gaza, during a conference call on March 31. āWe have received the pending revenue from the Israel export order, and this has shown an exponential jump in the revenue of the quarter,ā he told investors, according to the minutes of the meeting. āWe are happy to announce that we have highest ever quarterly revenue.ā
On that occasion, Chowdary presented Premier Explosives Limited as āthe only Indian company which specialises in the export of fully assembled rocket motorā. In addition, he said the company had begun manufacturing mines and ammunitions and started exporting RDX and HMX explosives, commonly used in military weapons systems.
In its January 2024 overview, the company listed exports to Israel in the ādefence & spaceā sector, which SIPRI deemed likely to include propellants for Barak missiles.
Premier Explosives did not respond to Al Jazeeraās requests for comment.
According to SIPRI, the Indian components can be used for Barak missiles that are then also reexported by Israel.
Indian made UAVs
Yet, Indiaās collaboration with Israel goes far beyond rocket propellers.
In December 2018, Adani Defence & Aerospace ā the defence arm of Indian multinational holding company Adani Enterprises Ltd ā and Israelās Elbit Systems inaugurated the Adani Elbit Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Complex (UAV) in Hyderabad.
The facility was presented in a joint statement as āthe first outside Israel to manufacture the Hermes 900 Medium Altitude Long Endurance UAVā, which can fly for up to 36 hours at an altitude of 30,000 feet (9,000 metres).
āThe factory shall start operations with the manufacturing of complete carbon composite aero-structures for Hermes 900, followed by Hermes 450,ā the statement added. Both drones can be fitted with antitank guided missiles, according to the drone inventory of the United Kingdomās leading defence think tank the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).
āThe production of Hermes drones is as important for India as it is for Israel,ā SIPRIās Hussain said. āFor Israel, it means they have a factory outside of the country. For India, itās about technology transfer, so that it can also produce drones based on the Israeli model.ā
Documents seen by Al Jazeera and company statements suggest Israel is receiving Indian weapons as it wages war on Gaza.
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