India and the UK Sign a $468M Missile Supply Agreement
Britain has strengthened defense ties with India by signing a £350 million deal to supply lightweight missiles.
In a significant move to improve defense and trade ties between the two nations, Britain has agreed to pay £350 million ($468 million) to provide the Indian Army with lightweight missiles made in the UK.
The announcement was made on Thursday while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer were meeting in Mumbai. Following the signing of a new trade agreement earlier this year, both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation.
The contract includes the delivery of Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMMs) made by Thales in Northern Ireland, the same facility that presently produces comparable weapons for Ukraine, the British government said in a statement. Approximately 700 jobs in the UK’s defense industry are anticipated to be secured by the agreement.
“The agreement opens the door for a more extensive and intricate weapons partnership between the United Kingdom and India, which is presently being negotiated between the two governments,” the statement stated.
The deal is a component of Starmer’s larger plan to increase defense exports from the UK and spur economic expansion. The UK has promised to match defense spending with NATO goals and has won a number of significant international contracts in the last year, including a $13.5 billion frigate deal with Norway.
Along with the missile agreement, Britain and India also signed the next stage of a £250 million agreement to develop electric-powered warship engines, marking a significant milestone in their naval technology partnership.
The agreements were praised by both parties as significant steps toward a long-term defense partnership that would combine India’s increasing influence as a regional security power with British technological know-how.
