UK gets $468 million deal to supply lightweight multirole missiles to Indian Army
Britain’s defence ministry said the contract envisages the delivery of air defence missiles and launchers, made by Thales at Belfast in Northern Ireland, to the Indian Army
NEW DELHI: Britain announced on Thursday it had concluded a £350-million ($468 million) deal with India to supply lightweight multirole missile (LMM) systems to the Indian Army as part of efforts to forge a broader complex weapons partnership.
The development came during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Mumbai for a meeting with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, and defence and security cooperation was a key part of their discussions. The two leaders met as a UK carrier strike group participated in the Konkan 2025 exercise with the Indian Navy in the waters off the country’s western coast.
A statement from Britain’s defence ministry said the contract envisages the delivery of air defence missiles and launchers, made by Thales at Belfast in Northern Ireland, to the Indian Army. The deal will give a significant boost to the British defence industry and secure 700 jobs at a factory that currently makes the same weapons for Ukraine.
The statement described India as a key strategic partner and said: “The deal paves the way for a broader complex weapons partnership between the UK and India, currently under negotiation between the two governments.”
There was no readout on the deal from the Indian side, though a joint statement issued after the meeting between Modi and Starmer said the leaders announced a government-to-government agreement for “an initial supply of lightweight multirole missile (LMM) systems” to support India’s air defence capabilities. This deal will meet current and future requirements of India’s defence ministry and support long-term collaboration on complex weapons.
Foreign secretary Vikram Misri told a media briefing that the two PMs reviewed cooperation in the defence sector and discussed collaboration in electric propulsion systems for Indian warships. They also reviewed the implementation of a defence industrial roadmap unveiled in July, he said.
The UK defence ministry’s statement said the two countries also signed an “implementing arrangement” to advance collaboration on electric-powered engines for naval ships, with the deal worth an initial £250 million ($333 million). The two sides had been engaged in discussions on developing electric propulsion systems for the past few years.
Starmer hailed the deals as an example of the growing strategic partnership between India and the UK. British defence secretary John Healey said the deals would pave the way for a deeper relationship between the defence industries of the two sides, especially in air defence and the development of electric engines for naval ships.
