It seems that after defence and counter-terrorism, India and Israel are coming together in a big way in the field of space technology.

With a bid to boost up its intelligence acquisition after the 26/11 terror attacks, India has acquired a high-precision spy satellite from Israel.

It is learnt that the 300 kilogram satellite named as Radar Satellite (RISAT-2) will be launched using the Indian rocket the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in the first week of April from Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking on this, an official working for the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) said, “RISAT is likely to be launched in the first half of April. We are looking at April five or six.”

RISAT-2 is considered as the first of its kind for India and at the moment it is in the process of being integrated with the Indian rocket.

As a radar imaging satellite, RISAT is used for remote-sensing and can take pictures of the earth for 24 hours of the day. Moreover, it is a technology used to spy on enemy movements. The satellite has already reached India from Israel.

This is the second time that the ISRO will be putting in orbit an Israeli satellite. In January 2008, a PSLV deployed in orbit Tecsar, also a radar-imaging, remote-sensing satellite. The launch was executed under a commercial contract between the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the Antrix Corporation, the commercial wing of the India's Department of Space.

Sriharikota, a barrier island, is considered as the country’s only satellite launch pad is used by ISRO to launch satellites using multi-stage rockets such as the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle.

In 2007, Israel has replaced France as the second-largest arms supplier to India and it is now in the lines to replace Russia for the number one position.