The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will get much-needed help for its missile programme with the Cabinet approving a new joint venture with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to develop a new range of surface-to-air missiles.

The joint venture, given the go ahead by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Thursday, will work towards developing an air defence system for the Indian Air Force (IAF) to replace its ageing Pechora missiles. The Israeli help comes after repeated delays in the indigenous Akash surface to air missile project that is still to undergo user trials.

While DRDO remained elusive on details of the agreement, sources indicated that the new generation missile would be based on the Barak missile system currently in service with the Navy. “It is still under discussion. We cannot talk more about it,” DRDO Chief M Natarajan said.

Sources said the air defence system is likely to be a long-range version of the Barak with a range of up to 150 km for protection against a variety of aerial threats. The IAF is looking at 18 new surface-to-air (SAM) missiles systems to replace the Russian Pechora missiles.

The new generation SAMs will be the second range of Israeli missiles to be inducted into the IAF. India had earlier signed an Rs 180 crore deal with Israel to acquire Spyder quick reaction surface to air missile systems for countering threats from low-flying aircraft.

The approval came at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that included Defence Minister A K Antony, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and Home Minister Shivraj Patil.