Main headlines from this issue

Stricter enforcement lifts Israel’s offset benefits to record highs—50 contractors overdue

Counterpurchase obligations levied by Israel on foreign contractors totalled $2.45bn in 2017, $350m more than in 2016. Purchases from SMEs and from companies in Israel’s outlying areas rose by about 50 percent, the ICA’s annual report reveals. The report indicates that the ICA sees the enforcement proceedings against three companies as “success stories.”

Poland: PGZ chief says 1bn zloty in Wisła offsets is enough

Jakub Skiba, president of Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), has said that Poland is currently unable to absorb larger quantities of offsets under the first phase of the Wisła project. One billion zloty ($272m) is sufficient for raising Poland’s technological level, he said.

BAE Systems discloses internal guidelines on offset demands

BAE Systems has published a description of how the company responds to demands by its customers for offsets. All offset arrangements, it says, are governed by an Operational Framework and Code of Conduct which sets out the principles the company applies to all offset activities…

Chicken barter continues to boil in Thailand

Former Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayodhin will face the Thai Supreme Administrative Court as the fallout continues from an allegedly corrupt barter deal dating back to 2004. The deal was made between…

India: Reliance files defamation suits over Rafale accusations

Anil Ambani’s Reliance Group of companies have filed a defamation suit against the leaders of India’s Congress Party after the party failed to respond to a “cease and desist” notice served for their criticism of the Rafale deal. Reliance also filed a 5,000-crore ($715m) defamation suit against the Congress-owned National Herald.