New Delhi, 31 August (H.S.): India has entered into an agreement with the United States to procure the FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile system and has signed the Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for the system. Subsequently, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and the Javelin Joint Venture (JJV) have signed an agreement to explore manufacturing the system in India. The agreement is expected to provide significant opportunities for the Indian defence industry and contribute to regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.

US Embassy spokesperson Dana Jea had confirmed on August 28 that India had signed the Letter of Offer and Acceptance for the Javelin system. With the agreement, India has become a customer for the Javelin, an advanced, medium-range, fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile system. The Javelin Joint Venture has now selected Tata Advanced Systems as its prime partner for manufacturing the system in India. Under the agreement, TASL and JJV will explore establishing a final assembly and integration facility for the Javelin system in India.

The FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile system is expected to strengthen the India-US defence partnership. The initiative will help create a robust defence workforce in India while supporting American jobs across the domestic supply chain through multi-year production. The commencement of co-production in India will further strengthen the country's defence industrial base.

The initiative is expected to extend Javelin's final assembly and integration capabilities to Indian facilities and suppliers, create high-technology employment opportunities, enhance local manufacturing expertise and support the resilience of global supply chains amid growing worldwide demand. A reliable supply of the Javelin weapon system will also support partner countries in the region.

Rich Lisian, Vice President and Programme Director of the Javelin Joint Venture, said the partnership reflected deep strategic cooperation between the Javelin Joint Venture and its Indian partner. He said it would strengthen interoperability and joint defence initiatives, in line with the broader objectives of the Indo-Pacific partnership.

He said partnering with Tata Advanced Systems to establish a dedicated Javelin final assembly and integration facility in India was an important step towards securing a robust supply chain for the critical anti-tank weapon system. The collaboration, he added, would not only enhance India's high-technology manufacturing capabilities but also strengthen the stability architecture across the Indo-Pacific region, enabling partners around the world to respond more rapidly to emerging threats.

Sukaran Singh, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Tata Advanced Systems Limited, said the company was pleased to partner with the Javelin Joint Venture on what he described as an important next step in its longstanding relationship with Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.

He said the initiative would bring essential assembly expertise and technology transfer into India's defence industrial ecosystem while further strengthening the country's drive towards self-reliance. The agreement, he added, would enhance India's operational preparedness and help deliver combat-ready capabilities to the Indian Armed Forces.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar